NBA Condemns Kano Court’s Alleged Order Compelling TikTok Creators to Marry

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has strongly condemned an alleged ruling by a Kano Magistrate Court ordering two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry each other within 60 days. The directive reportedly followed a case involving the duo’s publication of an “indecent” video online.

In a statement issued by NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN on Tuesday, the association described the reported court order as a gross violation of constitutional rights and a serious overreach of judicial authority.

“No court has the power to compel any person to marry another, or to mandate two persons to marry,” the statement read. “Such an order is not only unconstitutional but also a blatant affront to the fundamental rights of the individuals concerned.”

The NBA emphasised that marriage must remain a voluntary union between consenting adults and must never be used as a tool for punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy.

Citing provisions of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the association argued that any attempt by a court to enforce marriage infringes on rights to personal liberty, dignity, and privacy.

The association further warned that judicial oversteps like this erode public trust in the legal system. “Courts must remain protectors of constitutional rights, not enforcers of social conformity or instruments of moral compulsion,” the NBA stated.

In response to the incident, the NBA has directed its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor the case closely and ensure the protection of the rule of law.

Calling for an immediate review of the alleged decision by Magistrate Halima Wali, the NBA urged judicial authorities to take necessary steps to prevent similar unlawful rulings in the future.

“No person should ever be coerced, directly or indirectly, into marriage by any institution of state, including the courts,” the statement concluded.