In a move that left not a few mouths agape and sent shockwaves through Nigeria’s legal and digital landscapes, a Magistrate Court in Kano ignited fierce controversy by ordering two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry each other within 60 days—or risk being held in contempt of court.
But the ruling has not gone unchallenged.
In a swift and scathing response, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) issued a formal statement condemning the order as an unconstitutional abuse of power. The NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, minced no words:
“No court has the power to compel any person to marry another. It is unconstitutional and therefore unlawful… Marriage cannot, under any circumstance, be imposed as a form of punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy.”
He added that this judicial overreach amounts to a violation of the fundamental rights enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution, including the right to personal liberty, privacy, and the dignity of the human person.
“Such orders trample on individual freedoms and erode public trust in the judiciary. Courts must be defenders of justice—not instruments of forced morality,” Osigwe emphasized.
In response to this unprecedented case, the NBA has directed its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor developments closely, ensuring that the rule of law prevails and no individual is coerced into marriage under any guise.
The ruling, handed down on Monday by Magistrate Halima Wali, has been widely described as bizarre, unconstitutional, and a troubling overstep of judicial authority. The decision followed a case sparked by viral videos of the duo engaging in public displays of affection—content deemed “indecent” by the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board.
According to the court, the “solution” to this perceived moral transgression? Marriage. Under judicial compulsion. Within two months. Or else.
To facilitate this unprecedented order, Magistrate Wali reportedly tasked the Kano State Hisbah Board with overseeing the “marriage process” and ordered the chairman of the Censorship Board to supervise the execution of the ruling. Failure to wed within the deadline, she warned, would constitute contempt of court.
The Viral Romance—or Moral Panic?
The saga began when a series of TikTok videos featuring romantic interactions between Mai Wushirya and Yar Guda began circulating online. The Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, deeming the content sexually suggestive and in violation of the state’s moral code, swiftly moved to investigate.
Officials claimed the skits promoted “immoral behaviour”, leading to the arrest and remand of Mai Wushirya in a correctional facility. Yar Guda was also interrogated before the matter landed in court. And then, came the thunderbolt: a ruling that effectively turned a content-creation controversy into a forced matrimonial arrangement.
Public Reaction: A House Divided
Across Kano, reactions have been sharply divided. For some, particularly conservative voices, the court’s decision aligns with the state’s religious and cultural values.
“If they have gone this far publicly, it is only right they are joined in marriage,” said Aliyu Salisu, a resident of Kofar Nassarawa.
But for others, the ruling is nothing short of a dangerous precedent.
“The government can caution them or penalise them, but forcing marriage is not the solution,” argued Zainab Ahmed of Hotoro. “Morality should not come through compulsion.”
As of the time of writing, neither Mai Wushirya nor Yar Guda has made any public comment.
A Bigger Battle Over Freedom and Control
This case has opened a wider conversation about the limits of state power, the freedom of expression, and the interplay of culture, religion, and constitutional rights in Northern Nigeria.
Is this a righteous stand for public morality—or a judicial descent into authoritarian control?
Whatever one believes, the Kano ruling has made one thing clear: the battle for Nigeria’s digital and constitutional soul is far from over.
