The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has criticized the order of a Kano Magistrate Court that ordered two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to formalise their relationship through marriage following a case involving the publication of an alleged indecent video.

The order, issued on Monday by Magistrate Halima Wali, came after a series of viral clips showing the duo engaging in romantic displays deemed “indecent” by the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board.

The court asked the Kano State Hisbah Board to oversee the marriage process, cautioning that failure to comply within the stipulated time would amount to contempt of court.

The chairman of the Censorship Board was also advised to supervise the enforcement of the order.

Reacting to the development, NBA President Afam Osigwe, in a statement released, described the ruling as a fundamental misinterpretation of judicial powers under the Nigerian Constitution and a violation of the individuals’ fundamental rights.

He outlined that, no court possesses the authority to compel any individual to marry another, adding that such an order has no legal basis in Nigerian law.

Osigwe urged for an immediate review of the order and called for relevant judicial authorities to take appropriate measures to prevent a recurrence of such unconstitutional directives in the future.

“No court has the power to compel any person to marry another person or two persons to mandatorily marry. It is indeed unconstitutional and therefore unlawful for any court to purport to have the power to make such an order.

Marriage, by its very nature, is a voluntary union between consenting adults. It cannot, under any circumstance, be imposed as a form of punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy. No court in Nigeria possesses the constitutional authority to compel two persons to marry, and any attempt to do so violates the rights to personal liberty, dignity of the human person, and privacy as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).

The NBA highlighted that, such judicial overreach not only infringes on personal freedoms but also undermines public confidence in the judiciary.

The courts must remain the bastion of justice and protectors of constitutional rights, not instruments for enforcing social conformity or moral compulsion.”

We however call for immediate review of this decision by Magistrate Halima Wali and urge the relevant judicial authorities to take steps to prevent a recurrence of such unconstitutional orders. The NBA Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum are hereby directed to monitor the situation to ensure that the rule of law prevails.

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