The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed deep concern over reports that a Magistrate Court in Kano allegedly ordered two popular TikTok content creators, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry within 60 days.
The order reportedly followed a case involving the duo’s alleged publication of an indecent video. However, the NBA described the ruling as a “grave misunderstanding” of judicial authority and a violation of constitutional rights.
‘No Court Can Force Marriage,’ Says NBA
In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), the association stressed that no court in Nigeria has the constitutional power to compel marriage between two individuals.
According to the NBA, marriage is a voluntary union between consenting adults, not a judicial punishment or moral correction.
The association maintained that any attempt to impose such a union contravenes fundamental human rights, including personal liberty, dignity, and privacy, as protected under the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Judicial Overreach and Public Confidence
The association further warned that such judicial overreach undermines public trust 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,” the statement said.
The NBA called for an immediate review of the decision by Magistrate Halima Wali, urging the relevant judicial authorities to take steps to prevent a recurrence of similar unconstitutional rulings.
It also directed the NBA Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor the case closely to ensure that the rule of law is upheld.
Upholding Rights and Rule of Law
“The NBA reiterates that no person should ever be coerced, directly or indirectly, into marriage by any institution of state, including the courts,” the statement concluded.
