A Magistrate Court in Kano has sentenced two TikTok users, Ahmad Isa and Maryam Musa, to one year in prison each for sharing videos deemed offensive to religious and moral values.
The Kano State Censorship Board had earlier arrested the duo, accusing them of violating public decency through their social media posts.
Following their arrest, they were arraigned before the court, where the prosecutor, Garzali Maigari Bichi, charged them with criminal conspiracy and disseminating illicit content online.
During the court proceedings, both Ahmad Isa and Maryam Musa pleaded guilty to the charges brought against them. Presiding over the case, Magistrate Hadiza Muhammad Hassan, in delivering her judgment, sentenced the defendants to one-year imprisonment.
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However, she provided them with an option to pay a fine of N100,000 each in lieu of serving their jail term.
While handing down the sentence, the magistrate urged the convicts to uphold good conduct and adhere to societal moral and religious values.
The case has sparked discussions on social media and among legal analysts regarding the balance between freedom of expression and the enforcement of public decency laws in Nigeria.
Authorities in Kano have been vigilant in regulating content deemed inappropriate under the state’s moral codes. The sentencing of Isa and Musa highlights the growing scrutiny of social media activities in northern Nigeria, where cultural and religious norms significantly influence public policy.
As of the time of this report, there has been no official statement from the convicted TikTok users or their legal representatives regarding an appeal of the court’s decision.