Kano Court Sentences TikToker to One Year in Prison for Cross-Dressing Video

A Kano State Sharia Court has sentenced 24-year-old social media influencer Muritala Yakubu to one year in a correctional facility after convicting him of cross-dressing in a viral TikTok video. The ruling has sparked intense debate about freedom of expression and the enforcement of religious laws in northern Nigeria.

Presiding Judge Abdullahi Halliru delivered the verdict on Wednesday, stating Yakubu's actions violated Islamic principles and Kano's moral codes. The defendant, known online as "Dancing Queen," was arrested last month after a video showed him dressed in women's clothing while performing a dance routine. Prosecutors argued the content "corrupted public morals" and violated the state's 2003 Sharia Penal Code.

Yakubu pleaded for leniency, telling the court he created the video purely for entertainment. "I meant no disrespect to Islam or Kano traditions," he testified. However, the judge upheld the maximum penalty under Section 134 of the penal code, which prohibits "indecent practices."

Human rights groups have condemned the sentence as excessive. Amnesty International's Nigeria office called it "a dangerous precedent for creative expression," while the Nigerian Bar Association questioned whether the case should have been prosecuted under civil rather than religious law.

Kano State authorities defended the ruling, with Hisbah Board spokesman Lawal Fagge stating: "We must protect our values from immoral influences." The case highlights growing tensions between Nigeria's secular legal system and Sharia courts operating in northern states.

Yakubu's lawyer has filed an appeal, arguing the punishment violates constitutional guarantees of free expression. As the legal battle continues, the incident has ignited social media protests under #FreeDancingQueen, with many young Nigerians calling for reforms to archaic morality laws.