KANO, Nigeria, December 14, 2005 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Clashes have erupted in the northern Nigerian state of Kano over a ban on Muslim women traveling with men on public transport.

Six people were wounded Tuesday, December 13, in clashes between motorbike taxi riders and police in the state when a woman was told to get off a taxi motorbike, reported the BBC News Online on Wednesday.

Late July, authorities in Kano have imposed a ban on Muslim men and women traveling together on public transport.

As the ban took effect this week, some 9,000 uniformed police have been deployed in the streets to implement the ban.

However, Nigerian women ignored the ban, arguing that there are no enough transport alternatives.

Nigeria has the largest Muslim population in sub-Saharan Africa. About half of Nigeria's population of 140 million are Muslims while the other half are Christians or animists.

Kano is one of 12 predominantly Muslim northern states, out of Nigeria 36 states, which reinstated Shari`ah abolished under British colonial rule.

Authorities in the state have introduced about 500 three-wheeled motorbike taxis and 100 women's-only buses to implement the ban. But Nigerian women say this is not sufficient.

Under the ban, commercial motorcylists seen carrying women could be fined.

But since implementing the ban, officials in the city have not arrested or fined offenders, only warning them about the new ban.

But Nigerian Muslim jurists, both male and female, say Shari'ah is an opportunity to help downtrodden women.

The only condition is that women should stick to the Islamic manners while riding the bike.

She should abide by the Islamic code of dress and she should not sit on the same bike behind or in front of a non-Mahram male, for this leads to forbidden touching.