The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the decision of a Kano Magistrates’ Court ordering two popular TikTok personalities, Idris Mai Wushirya and Basira Yar Guda, to marry within 60 days, describing it as a dangerous abuse of judicial power.

The duo had reportedly appeared before the court over an “indecent” video they posted online, but the presiding magistrate, Halima Wali, allegedly ordered them to formalise their relationship through marriage, a ruling that has since sparked outrage across social media.

In a statement on Tuesday, NBA President Afam Osigwe, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, said the order was unconstitutional and an affront to the rights of the individuals involved.

“No court has the power to compel any person to marry another. Marriage, by its very nature, is a voluntary union between consenting adults,” Mr Osigwe said. “It cannot be imposed as a form of punishment, moral correction, or judicial remedy.”

He added that such a ruling “violates the rights to personal liberty, dignity of the human person, and privacy” as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution, stressing that it reflected “a grave misunderstanding of the limits of judicial authority.”

He noted that the NBA had directed its Citizens’ Liberties Committee and Women’s Forum to monitor the case closely and ensure that “the rule of law prevails.”

Mr Osigwe also called for an immediate review of Magistrate Wali’s decision, warning that judicial overreach of such kind could erode public confidence in the judiciary.

“The courts must remain protectors of constitutional rights, not instruments for enforcing social conformity or moral compulsion,” Mr Osigwe stated.