Kano Court Tells TikToker to Wed Her Within 60 Days Over Indecent Videos

Kano, Nigeria — A Magistrate Court in Kano State has ordered popular TikTok content creators Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda to get married within 60 days following the circulation of viral videos deemed “indecent” and contrary to the state’s moral and religious values.

The ruling was delivered on Monday by Magistrate Halima Wali, who presided over the case after the duo were arraigned over clips showing them engaging in romantic gestures officials of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board described as “immoral.”[irp]

“The Kano State Hisbah Board is to ensure that the marriage is conducted within the stipulated timeframe,” Magistrate Wali directed, warning that failure to comply would amount to contempt of court.

The court also instructed the Chairman of the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board to supervise the implementation of the marriage order.

The two TikTokers had earlier been arrested and charged for producing and sharing content alleged to violate Kano’s censorship laws, which prohibit the creation or circulation of sexually suggestive or obscene videos.

Mai Wushirya was remanded in a correctional centre earlier this month after clips of him and Basira Yar Guda went viral, sparking outrage among conservative groups in the state.[irp]

The Censorship Board maintained that the viral videos breached Kano’s laws on public morality, asserting that the content “undermines the cultural and Islamic values of the society.”

The case has reignited debates across Nigeria about social media regulation, creative freedom, and adherence to local cultural norms, with reactions divided between those supporting strict enforcement and advocates of digital expression.