Kwara Commissioner Drags Online Publisher To Court Over Alleged Facebook Defamation, Seeks ₦10 Million In Damages

Ilorin,  Kwara State– The Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Yunusa Lade, has filed a direct criminal complaint against the Editor-in-Chief and sole proprietor of NUPEKOTV-Lafiagi, Tauheed Baruwa Muhammed, over an alleged defamatory publication on Facebook.

The case, brought before the Chief Magistrate Court of Kwara State, Ilorin Magisterial District, accuses Muhammed of publishing and circulating a libelous report titled “Hon. Usman Lade, Kwara Commissioner for Water Resources Under Fire for Mismanagement and Neglect.”

In the complaint filed through his counsel, Lade alleged that the post falsely accused him of financial embezzlement, impropriety, negligence, and mismanagement in the discharge of his duties.

The Commissioner claimed the publication was driven by “malice and vendetta” and was aimed at tarnishing his image before the public.

According to the court document, the publication was not only shared on the NUPEKOTV-Lafiagi Facebook page, which boasts over 27,000 followers, but was also allegedly republished and circulated across other social media platforms and WhatsApp groups controlled by the defendant, “ensuring wide readership and maximum reputational damage.”

The Commissioner’s complaint cites violations of Sections 391, 392, 393, 394, and 397 of the Penal Code, including offences of defamation, printing and publishing defamatory material, sale of defamatory material, and criminal intimidation.

Lade through his Counsel stated, “We act as Counsel to the Complainant, HON. USMAN YUNUSA LADE, an Honourable Commissioner in the Kwara State Ministry of Water Resources, do hereby make this direct criminal complaint against the Defendant, TAUHEED BARUWA MUHAMMED, as follows: The Complainant is the Honourable Commissioner of Water Resources, Kwara State, entrusted with overseeing government policies, programmes, and activities within the Ministry of Water Resources.

“Prior to his appointment, the Complainant distinguished himself as an accomplished young entrepreneur with demonstrable achievements in public service, community development, and data analysis.

“The Defendant, resident in Kwara State, is the publisher, Editor-in-Chief, and sole proprietor of NUPEKOTV-LAFIAGI Facebook page, a platform with over twenty-seven thousand (27,000) followers, which he personally manages and controls.

“On Sunday, the 28th of July, 2024, the Defendant, actuated by ill-motive, malice and vendetta, falsely and maliciously authored and published a defamatory news report on his NUPEKOTV-LAFIAGI Facebook page titled: “HON USMAN LADE KWARA COMM. FOR WATER RESOURCES UNDER FIRE FOR MISMANAGEMENT AND NEGLECT”

The statement said, “In the said publication, the Defendant falsely accused the Complainant of financial embezzlement of public funds, impropriety, negligence, and mismanagement, incompetence in the discharge of his public duties without justifiable basis.

“The said publication was not only disseminated on NUPEKOTV-LAFIAGI Facebook page but also further republished and circulated by the Defendant through other social media platforms and WhatsApp groups under his control, thereby ensuring wide readership and maximum reputational damage to the Complainant.

“The Defendant is the sole author, editor, publisher, and disseminator of the said libelous material and has deliberately republished same on different occasions with reckless disregard for the truth or the reputation of the Complainant.

“The publication is false, unfounded, malicious, and defamatory, and has indeed lowered the Complainant in the estimation of right-thinking members of society, exposed him to public ridicule, odium, hatred and contempt, and caused grave reputational and emotional injury to his person, family, and office.

“Following the said malicious publication, several entreaties were made to the Defendant to retract same and tender an unreserved public apology. However, all such efforts proved abortive. Instead, the Defendant recently (just a couple of week ago) this 2025 escalated matters by resorting to harassment, and criminal intimidation of the Complainant, using the same online platforms.”

However, Lade urged the court to issue criminal summons or warrant compelling the Defendant to appear before the Honourable Court to answer to the charges herein disclosed.

Afrika Eyes had reported that despite the worsening insecurity in Kwara State, the state government has rushed to the State High Court to file a case against Afrika Eyes publisher and investigative journalist Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed, human rights activist Comrade Saliu Bolakale, and Kwara Take-It-Back coordinator Saidu Musa.

The suit, however, has stirred controversy after it was filed without a valid signature or date.

In July 2025, the trio were arrested and detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Ilorin after they criticised the state government’s handling of a protest by concerned citizens.

Their arrest followed a complaint of defamation and cyberstalking allegedly filed by Abubakar Sadiq Buhari, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Social Investment.

However, Buhari Olanrewaju Ahmed and Saidu Musa were remanded on July 23, 2025, by a Kwara State Magistrates’ Court.

The case, with Charge No. KWS/259C/25, names the Kwara State Government as the prosecutor, and the three activists as defendants, facing four counts.

Speaking on Monday, counsel to the defendants, Taofiq Olateju, condemned the government’s handling of the matter, saying it was flawed from inception.

He disclosed that an application had earlier been made under Section 302 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Kwara State, 2018, compelling the Attorney General and Or the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State to appear before the court and show cause why the charges should not be terminated against the defendants and case struck out.

According to him, the application was premised on the fact that the magistrate court lacks jurisdiction to hear and determine the allegations against his clients.

Olateju stated that while they were in court this morning, the state counsel representing the Kwara State Government came to serve his clients with a charge.

He said the case has not yet been assigned, so there is no need for them to appear before the court immediately. Nevertheless, they have been served and will take the appropriate legal steps