Court orders arrest of popular Hausa musician for releasing ‘immoral’ songs

 

The Kano State High Court has issued an order to the police for the immediate arrest of a renowned Hausa singer identified as Ado Isa Gwanja.

Justice Aisha Mahmud upheld a previous decision from the Upper Sharia Court Bichi, which had issued an arrest warrant against the musician last year.

The prosecutor, Barrister Badamasi Gandu, representing the Kano Ulamas Forum, initiated legal proceedings against Gwanja and six others at the Upper Sharia Court.

He claimed that the popular musician engages in practices which go against Islam and he releases songs which are in defiance of the moral teachings of Islam and the cultural values of Kano State.

In response, Gwanja and his associates swiftly sought a restraining order against their arrest at the state high court. While an interim order was initially granted, preventing the police from executing the arrest pending a hearing for the fundamental rights enforcement application, Justice Aisha Mahmud reversed this decision on Monday.

The court has now directed the police to arrest and investigate the musician while also barring him from performing at public events such as wedding ceremonies until the substantive suit is resolved.

Justice Mahmud further mandated that the Gwanja must submit his music to the state film and videos censorship board for approval moving forward.