By Ufoh Awele Anthony

Copyright independent

Anthony Ufoh

The Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Yusuf sent to the state House of Assembly a bill to criminalise same-sex marriage and other practices considered immoral in the state.

Sanusi Dawakin-Tofa, spokesperson to Governor Yusuf, made the statement on Friday.

Yusuf approved while presiding over the 31st Executive Council meeting held at the Government House Annexe in Kwankwasiyya City.

Kano State, one of Nigeria’s most populous northern states, is governed largely by Islamic law under the framework of Sharia, which coexists with the Nigerian Constitution.

Since the early 2000s, when Sharia was formally introduced in Kano and other northern states, successive administrations have taken strong positions on issues relating to morality, culture, and religion.

Nigeria already has a federal law—the Same-Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act of 2014—which criminalises same-sex unions and related activities nationwide, prescribing penalties of up to 14 years in prison.

However, northern states like Kano, where Islamic law holds sway, have historically sought to enforce stricter moral regulations in line with religious teachings.