On August 30, 2022, an Upper Sharia Court, Bichi Division in Kano State ordered police to arrest and investigate 10 local celebrities for alleged “immoral conduct” on social media that could influence the youths negatively following a suit filed by some lawyers calling for their prosecution for singing and dancing to and sharing “immoral” songs online.
The lawyers who filed the complaints of indecent songs and Tiktok skits capable of corrupting the morals of the society are Muhd Ali Hamza Esq, Abba Mahmud, Esq, Sunusi I. Umar Esq, Abba, A.T Bebeji Esq, B.I Usman Esq, Muhd Nasir Esq, L.T Dayi Esq, G.A Badawi and Badamasi Suleiman Gandu Esq.
The accused celebrities comprise of four men and six women and they include a popular hip-hop singer, a famous film actress and eight TikTok influencers with huge followings. The celebrities affected in the letter addressed to Kano State Commissioner of Police are Mr 442, Safara’u, Dan Maraya, Amude Booth, Kawu Dan Sarki, Ado Gwanja, Murja Kunya, Ummi Shakira, Samha Inuwa and Babiyana.
The court gave an order to the police commissioner to arrest the 10 suspects and carry out an investigation on the roles they played in displaying immoral conduct.
Hip-hop singer Ado Gwanja is accused of releasing a song titled “A Sosa”, meaning “Scratch your body” in Hausa language to which the other celebrities danced in videos online.
The song and the videos generated furor in Kano, the country’s second-largest city, prompting condemnation from hardline clerics.
Sharia law operates alongside criminal and civil law in Nigeria’s 12 Muslim-majority northern states. Authorities in these states have sought to regulate social media content and force users to conform to Islamic norms. They have therefore sought to regulate social media which these celebrities use to express themselves.
