Nigerian City Set To Impose More Sharia Restrictions on Taxi Drivers

In Kano, Nigeria, motorcycle taxi drivers are about to lose substantial amounts of business if a new traffic law is enforced, according to a report in today's South African Mail & Guardian. The governor of Kano, who was elected on a platform of enforcing a stricter version of Sharia, is about to ban any male moped driver from carrying female passengers other than his wife or close relatives. Women riding on mopeds come into physical contact with the driver, in violation of Islamic law. The government has purchased 100 busses and 500 motorized tricycles to transport women so that they can be transported without touching the male driver. Tuesday's ceremony to initiate the new policy was postponed, although differing reasons for the postponement were offered. Some support the new policy on safety grounds, but current taxi drivers object strongly to it.