The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has condemned a reported order by a Kano Magistrate’s Court allegedly directing two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry within 60 days.
CKNNews reports that the order followed the duo’s appearance in viral videos deemed “indecent” by the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board.
The clips, which showed the pair engaging in romantic gestures, were described by authorities as contrary to the moral and religious values upheld in the state.
In a statement, NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe described the order as a “grave misunderstanding of the limits of judicial authority under the Nigerian Constitution” and an infringement on the fundamental rights of the individuals involved.
“Marriage, by its very nature, is a voluntary union between consenting adults. It cannot be imposed as a form of punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy,” the NBA said.
The association emphasized that no court in Nigeria has the power to compel marriage, calling the order unconstitutional, unlawful, and a violation of the rights to personal liberty, dignity, and privacy guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
The NBA also called for an immediate review of the alleged order and urged judicial authorities to prevent similar incidents in the future. Its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum were tasked with monitoring the case to safeguard constitutional rights.
“The courts must remain the bastion of justice and protectors of constitutional rights, not instruments for enforcing social conformity or moral compulsion,” the NBA added.