Nigerian TikTok stars sentenced to 20 whips for mocking government

Two Nigerian TikTokers have been found guilty of defaming a government official and part of their punishments includes 20 whips.

Mubarak Muhammed and Nazifi Muhammad were arrested last week after posting a video to TikTok and Facebook where they mocked the governor of the northern state of Kano, Abdullahi Ganduje.

According to BBC, the two alleged in the video that the governor is corrupt, sells people’s land, and oversleeps.

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According to the prosecution lawyer, Wada Ahmed Wada, the men had defamed the governor and were capable of disturbing public peace.

Despite pleading guilty and asking for leniency, both men were ordered to pay a fine of 10,000 nairas (£20), clean the court premises for 30 days, and receive 20 lashes for their acts.

They also must apologise to Ganduje publicly on social media.

Mubarak Muhammed also goes by mubarak_uniquepikin on TikTok.

Because the state of Kano is a Muslim-majority part of northern Nigeria, it uses the Sharia legal system in addition to the country's secular laws.

Only Muslims can be tried in Sharia courts.

According to the men's lawyer Bashir Yusuf, they would not seek to challenge the judgment because the sentencing meant the two would not go to jail.

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