TikTok stars are sentenced to 20 lashes under Sharia law after mocking government officials in Nigeria
- Mubarak Isa Muhammed and Muhammed Bula insulted the governor of Kano
- The Sharia legal system is practiced there alongside the country’s secular laws
- Men were sentenced to 20 lashes each, a fine and court purge
TikTok stars who mocked a government official in Nigeria have been sentenced to 20 lashes under Sharia law.
Mubarak Isa Muhammed and Muhammed Bula insulted Abdullahi Ganduje, the governor of northern Kano state.
Their video, in which they mocked Mr Ganduje for alleged land grabbing, corruption and sleeping at work, was released last week.
They posted the clip on TikTok and Facebook and Muhammad, known online as Unique Pikin, was arrested along with Mr Bula.
TikTok stars Mubarak Isa Muhammed and Muhammed Bula insulted Abdullahi Ganduje, governor of northern Kano state, where the Sharia legal system is practiced alongside the country’s secular laws (file image)
According to prosecutor’s attorney Wada Ahmed Wada, who said they slandered the governor, their action “was likely to disturb the public peace.”
Both men pleaded guilty and asked the judge for leniency. However, the judge ordered them to be given 20 lashes each, fined 10,000 naira (£20) and cleaned the court for 30 days.
They also had to apologize to Mr. Ganduje on social media for their actions.
In the state of Kano, only Muslims are convicted in a Sharia court. But it is one state, among 12 others, that practices Sharia under secular law, as it is a Muslim-majority area.
According to prosecutor’s attorney Wada Ahmed Wada, who said they slandered the governor, their action “was likely to disturb the public peace.” Both men pleaded guilty and asked the judge for leniency. However, the judge ordered them to be given 20 lashes each, fined 10,000 naira (£20) and cleaned the court for 30 days (file picture).
The BBC reported that their lawyer, Bashir Yusuf, said they would not appeal the verdict.
This is because they received a no-custodial sentence and would not be imprisoned.
The condemnation of TikTok stars as the trend of social media stars in Nigeria is growing and using comedy as a vehicle to comment on societal and political issues.
The TikTokers amass thousands of followers and occasionally mock public figures and post the videos on their accounts.