A Magistrate Court in Kano has issued a startling order directing two well-known TikTok personalities, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to legalize their relationship by getting married within 60 days.
The ruling, delivered on Monday by Magistrate Halima Wali, stemmed from a string of viral videos showing the pair in what authorities described as “indecent” romantic displays, prompting action from the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board.
In an unusual verdict that has since stirred widespread debate, the court instructed the Kano State Hisbah Board to oversee the marriage process, with the chairman of the Censorship Board assigned to supervise its execution.
Magistrate Wali cautioned that failure to marry within the given timeframe would be treated as contempt of court.
The two influencers had earlier been arraigned on charges of producing and distributing obscene content online, after their affectionate TikTok clips drew public attention and criticism from regulators. Officials said the videos violated the state’s censorship laws, which prohibit sexually suggestive or explicit material.
“Such behaviour undermines the values we stand for and sets a dangerous example for the youth,” an official of the board told PUNCH.
Before the court’s decision, Mai Wushirya had been remanded at a correctional facility on accusations of promoting immorality through his skits, while Yar Guda was also interrogated by the board’s enforcement team prior to the case being brought before the court.
The development has divided public opinion in Kano. While some residents see the judgment as a step toward preserving moral discipline, others view it as an infringement on individual rights.
Aliyu Salisu, a resident of Kofar Nassarawa, supported the ruling, calling it “a wise decision” that would deter indecency among young people. “Our religion encourages modesty. If they have gone this far publicly, it is only right they are joined in marriage,” he said.
But Zainab Ahmed, who lives in Hotoro, expressed her disapproval, describing the order as “an overreach of authority.”
“The government can caution them or penalise them, but forcing marriage is not the solution. Morality should not come through compulsion,” she said.
As of press time, neither Mai Wushirya nor Yar Guda had commented publicly on the court’s directive, which has reignited national discussions about the limits of state control over personal conduct and online expression in northern Nigeria.
