Justice Aisha Mahmud of the Kano State High Court has instructed the police to apprehend well-known Hausa musician, Ado Isa Gwanja.
This ruling upholds a previous decision from the Upper Sharia Court Bichi, which had issued an arrest warrant against the musician last year.
Barrister Badamasi Gandu, representing the Kano Ulamas Forum, initiated legal proceedings against Gwanja and six others at the Upper Sharia Court.
The grounds for this action were centered on the defendants’ activities, perceived to be 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 now directs the police to arrest and investigate the musician, further prohibiting Gwanja from performing at public events such as wedding ceremonies until the substantive suit is resolved. Additionally, the court mandates that Gwanja must submit his music to the state film and videos censorship board for approval moving forward.
