Kano State, Nigeria — Following a directive by the Kano State government, the state censorship board has banned the sale of a Hausa film circulating in the state on the recent religious crisis in Plateau State.
Disclosing this in an interview, the Director-General of the Kano State Film Censorship Board, Alhaji Abubakar Rabo Abdulkarim explained that the state government had decided to take the decision through the board with a view to curtailing the circulation of the said film which may create tension and degenerate into crisis in the state, saying "the contents of the film are false and capable of creating tension in the state," he emphasised.
Alhaji Rabo pointed out that the board had met with members of the five certified film marketers in the state and requested them to intimate it about the identity of the person who brought the said film to the state, but for which they claimed ignorance.
The director general hinted that since they could not identify the person, they should not circulate the film or sell it. Doing so he said would hurt the state or incur the wrath of the board, which will not hesitate to ban cassette business in the state; "Government will not allow the destruction of lives or properties in the state under the guise of films marketing. Anyone found with the film will be prosecuted in the court," he mentioned.
Meanwhile, the mobile court on regulating of film activities in the state has passed various sentences on seven individuals for violating film regulations.
Among those sentenced are Abubakar Usman and Abdullahi Alhaji who were arrested at Post Office Road downloading a banned Hausa song called "Mamar" in a film named "A loko."
The court added that such action is capable of corrupting public moral and violates Section 97 of Kano Censorship Board Law and Regulations 200 and punishable under the same section. They were sentenced to two months imprisonment and a fine each.
Others also sentenced were Muhammad Rabi'u and Dantalata who were operating viewing centres at Garun Malam near a mosque where they used to admit underage children into the centres. They were further sentenced to two months with an option of fine each.