The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned a ruling by a Magistrate Court in Kano ordering two TikTok content creators, Ashiru Idris, popularly known as Mai Wushirya, and Basira Yar Guda, to marry each other within 60 days.
According to reports, Magistrate Halima Wali issued the controversial directive following a complaint by the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board, which alleged that the duo’s viral romantic videos violated moral and religious norms in the state.
The court reportedly instructed the Hisbah Board to oversee the marriage arrangements and warned that failure to comply would amount to contempt of court.
Reacting to the development, NBA President, Afam Osigwe (SAN), in a statement on Tuesday, described the order as an “outright violation” of fundamental human rights and a misinterpretation of the powers of the court under the Nigerian Constitution.
“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,” Osigwe said. “No court in Nigeria has the power to compel two citizens to marry. Any attempt to do so offends the Constitution, which guarantees the rights to personal liberty, dignity, and privacy.”
He further stressed that courts must remain “bastions of justice” and not tools for enforcing moral conformity, warning that the ruling—if allowed to stand—would set a dangerous precedent.
“The reported directive, if true, sets a dangerous precedent and must be reviewed immediately,” he added.
The NBA called for an urgent review of the alleged court order and urged judicial authorities to prevent similar violations in the future.
It also directed its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor the case and ensure that both individuals are not subjected to coercion or intimidation.
In its concluding remarks, the NBA warned that coercing marriage through judicial means undermines public confidence in the judiciary and turns courts into tools for moral enforcement rather than guardians of constitutional rights.
The case forms part of a broader crackdown by Kano State authorities on social media creators accused of producing or sharing content deemed “objectionable” or “immoral.”
