KANO: A wave of public outrage has erupted across Nigeria following a controversial ruling by a Kano Magistrate Court ordering two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry within 60 days.
The ruling, reportedly issued by Magistrate Halima Wali, has sparked sharp condemnation from the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), several civil society organisations, and social media users, who described the order as unconstitutional, regressive, and a dangerous misuse of judicial authority.
In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), the NBA said the judgment reflects a grave misunderstanding of judicial powers and constitutes an affront to the fundamental rights of the individuals concerned.
No court in Nigeria has the power to compel any person to marry another. Such an order is unconstitutional, unlawful, and invalid under the Nigerian Constitution, Osigwe stated.
He stressed that marriage is a voluntary union between consenting adults, not a tool for moral correction or punishment, and called for an immediate review of the decision.
The NBA also directed its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to closely monitor the case to ensure that the rule of law prevails, while urging the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate the conduct of the magistrate to prevent similar violations in the future.
Human rights and women’s advocacy organizations, including the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and the Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative (WRAPA), have also criticized the ruling.
They argued that forcing two individuals into marriage undermines human dignity and violates international human rights conventions to which Nigeria is a signatory
This ruling sends the wrong message about women’s rights and personal freedom. The judiciary must not be used as an instrument of moral enforcement, WRAPA stated.
The ruling has dominated online discussions, with Nigerians expressing anger and disbelief under trending hashtags such as #KanoTikTokJudgment, #JusticeNotMarriage, and #JudicialOverreach.
One X (formerly Twitter) user wrote, this is not justice, it’s a mockery of the court system. No one should be forced into marriage in the name of morality.
Another added, if this stands, then we have lost the essence of individual freedom guaranteed by our constitution.
Social commentators, legal analysts, and influencers have since demanded that the magistrate’s decision be overturned immediately, describing it as a miscarriage of justice and “an embarrassment to Nigeria’s legal system.
As public outrage continues, the incident has reignited debate about the role of morality in judicial decisions and the need for stronger oversight of lower courts.
Many Nigerians are now urging the judiciary to reaffirm its commitment to constitutionalism and protect citizens from what they call “moral tyranny disguised as justice.
The NBA and rights groups maintain that such orders, if left unchallenged, could set a dangerous precedent for judicial overreach and further erode public trust in Nigeria’s legal system.
