By Saminu Sodiq Bayonle / World Lens Reporter
Kano, Nigeria – Tuesday, October 8, 2025
The digital streets of Kano have been thrown into a storm of debate after a popular TikToker, Ashiru Idris, known to his followers as Mai Wushirya, was ordered remanded by a magistrate court for allegedly posting indecent videos featuring a dwarf woman.
The presiding judge, Halima Wali of Court No. 7, gave the directive on Monday, ordering that the social media influencer be kept in custody for two weeks pending further hearing on the case that has stirred intense public discussion over morality, culture, and freedom of expression in northern Nigeria.
Officials of the Kano State Censorship Board had arrested Idris last week after clips showing him shirtless and engaging in what the board described as “immoral and demeaning acts” went viral. The board maintained that the videos violated state laws prohibiting the production or circulation of sexually suggestive or obscene material.
Speaking to World Lens Reporter after the court session, the board’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Sani Sulaiman, confirmed that the court also ordered the appearance of the woman featured in the viral video.
“The court has directed that she appear before the next hearing. Before now, the TikToker had refused to help us locate her, but with this court order, we expect progress,” Sulaiman explained.
He further revealed that investigators believe the woman may have fled to Zamfara State, though efforts are underway to track her down and ensure both parties face trial together. The case is expected to resume after the two-week remand period.
The incident is the latest in a growing list of actions by the Kano government to curb what it views as the erosion of public morals through social media content. In recent months, several TikTokers, skit makers, and musicians have been arrested or sanctioned under the state’s censorship framework, sparking conversations about where to draw the line between creative expression and moral responsibility.
For now, Mai Wushirya awaits his next day in court a case that has once again spotlighted the tension between tradition, modernity, and the power of the digital screen in shaping youth culture in northern Nigeria.
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