Nigeria court punishes men for dancing in women’s clothes

A Sharia court in Kano, the largest city in northern Nigeria, has sentenced eight men to 10 lashes for wearing clothing that violates Islamic law. The court also sentenced them to three months in prison, unless they paid a fine of 10,000 Nigerian naira (around $12.80). 

The defendants were caught wearing women’s clothing and dancing seductively at a wedding party, which is considered immoral in Islamic customs and culture. The men pleaded guilty and asked Judge Tamim Sani Hosawa to reduce the sentence, but were unsuccessful.

This is not the first time that individuals have been convicted for “wearing clothing contrary to Sharia law” in Kano. In 2004, a young man disguised as a woman was sentenced to one year in prison for living among women.

Sharia law is a legal system based on Islamic principles, which varies between countries and regions. In Nigeria, the implementation of Sharia law is controversial and has been the subject of much debate. In 2000, 12 northern states implemented Sharia law alongside the existing secular legal system.

While some argue that it is necessary to uphold Islamic principles, others believe that it can cause discrimination against certain groups of people.