Nigerian Court Orders Two TikTok Stars to Marry—Hisbah Steps In to Cancel It

A Nigerian court has ordered TikTok personalities Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda to marry within 60 days, after the pair portrayed themselves as lovers in a series of viral comedy skits. The Kano Magistrate Court ruled that the two should 'formalise' their relationship after authorities deemed their viral videos to contain 'immoral' exchanges that drew millions of views.

The ruling from the Kano Magistrate Court sparked widespread shock online, with many criticising the idea of legally compelling marriage — but the Hisbah Board has since stepped in to cancel the directive.

Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa of the Hisbah confirmed the decision, saying the marriage would not proceed without consent from both parties.

'Indecent' Content

The Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board claimed the duo crossed religious and moral boundaries in their social media posts.

Kano is one of a dozen predominantly Muslim states in Nigeria where Sharia law operates alongside the country's secular system.

Presiding Magistrate Halima Wali issued the directive on Monday, 20 October, warning that failure to complete the marriage within 60 days would amount to contempt of court.

According to TRT Afrika, Mai Wushirya and Yar Guda were brought before the court for allegedly creating and sharing 'indecent' content, including scenes of kissing and cuddling, scenes that reportedly outraged many Kano residents.

Because of this, the Kano State Hisbah Board, the state's Islamic morality enforcement agency, was instructed to oversee and formalise the marriage.

The head of the Hisbah Board, Sheikh Aminu Ibrahim Daurawa, confirmed that wedding preparations had begun, though he stressed it wouldn't proceed without the pair's consent.

He added that if they agreed to get married, the two would undergo standard medical and genetic tests as required by local law.

Backlash and Legal Criticism

The court's unusual ruling sparked widespread criticism, with many Nigerians questioning whether love should ever be 'forced' by law.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) condemned the order, calling it 'an affront to the fundamental rights of the individuals concerned.'

NBA President Mazi Afam Osigwe added, 'No court has the power to compel any person to marry another.'

Hisbah Cancels the Wedding

Days after the court ruling, the Hisbah Board officially canceled the court-ordered wedding after Wushirya told officials he had lied to the court about being 'in love'.

'Mai Wushirya told us that he lied to the court that he and Yar Guda were in love to evade prosecution,' said Abba Sufi, Hisbah's Director-General.

Following the confession, Sufi announced the cancellation of the wedding saying, 'With this development, we have cancelled the wedding and referred the matter back to the judge for appropriate action.'

Before the cancellation, reports said Hisbah had already begun planning the wedding. Wushirya's parents had given their 'explicit consent', and the Kano State Government had even agreed to purchase a house for the couple to meet the bride's condition.

Kannywood's Tight Rules

Kano, popularly known as 'Kannywood', is home to a thriving Hausa-language film industry, considered the second largest in the world after Bollywood.

With more than 200 films produced each month, Kannywood has expanded to social media platforms where skits and short-form videos dominate. This growth prompted the Kano State Films and Video Censorship Board to extend its authority online, resulting in several TikTokers being arrested for content deemed 'obscene' or 'indecent'.

As the wedding was cancelled, the incident left behind a widespread debate on the growing tension between social media expression and the state's strict moral laws, a clash that continues to challenge how creativity is regulated in the digital era.