We Have No Water’: Lafiagi Women Blast Kwara Commissioner Over Journalist’s Arrest, Urge AbdulRazaq To Investigate Failed Waterworks Project

Ilorin,  Kwara State– Women in Lafiagi, Edu Local Government Area of Kwara State, have expressed deep dissatisfaction over the arrest and detention of NupekoTV Publisher, Tauheed Mohammed, who was remanded for exposing the alleged non-functionality of the Lafiagi Waterworks project.

The women described the action of the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Yunusa Lade, who reportedly sued the journalist, as an attempt to silence truth-tellers rather than address the suffering of the people.

In an open interviw, the women appealed to the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to send a delegation to Lafiagi to verify their claims that residents have been living without access to potable water for years.

“Good morning, Mr. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq. We, the women of Lafiagi from Ward 2, greet you. We are deeply worried and unhappy because one of our sons, Tauheed Mohammed, was arrested for exposing the truth that the Lafiagi Waterworks is not functioning,” the women wrote.

They said that contrary to government claims that the waterworks was operational, no resident in Lafiagi had access to tap water.

They lamented that they rely on unsafe sources and sometimes travel long distances in search of water for domestic use.

“When a woman has no access to water, she cannot carry out her daily activities,” one of the women stated. “We need water to bathe, care for our children, cook, clean after using the toilet, and perform ablution. Water is essential to life, yet we have been denied this basic right.”

The women explained that the only borehole that once served the Lafiagi community has been out of service for over eight years despite repeated appeals to government officials to repair it.

“This borehole used to serve the entire Lafiagi community, including the late monarch, who also drank from it. We used to fetch water for the palace from there, but it has been dry for many years,” they said. “Each time we attend political events, we raise this issue, but our cries fall on deaf ears.”

They accused the Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Yunusa Lade, of misleading the public by claiming that the Lafiagi Waterworks was functional.

“There is no water, the tap water project he boasted of does not exist. We are tired of empty promises.”

The women vowed to organize a peaceful protest to demand justice for the NupekoTV publisher and to draw attention to the community’s water crisis.

“Because of this injustice, we, the women of Lafiagi, will not remain silent. We plan to meet both the commissioner and Governor AbdulRazaq to plead for intervention. We appeal to them, in the name of God, to come to our aid,” they said.

They described the situation as unbearable, saying that even during the rainy season, residents still struggle to get clean water, and during the dry season, their hardship becomes worse.

“We wake up as early as 4 a.m. every day to fetch water from faraway places. Sometimes we return home empty-handed. We are tired of suffering.”

The women also expressed fears over the health implications of drinking dirty water.

“The water we drink causes sickness. Many of our people are in hospitals because of waterborne diseases, and some have died. Yet, the government claims we have a working water system,” they said.

They further alleged that funds allocated for the rehabilitation of the waterworks might have been misappropriated.

“If money was released for the Lafiagi Waterworks, then someone has stolen it. We want the governor to investigate this matter and bring those responsible to justice,” they demanded.

The women appealed to Governor AbdulRazaq: “Your Excellency, please send your officials to come and see for themselves. We have nothing to hide. We are only asking for what is right—clean and safe water for our families. The arrest of Tauheed Mohammed will not silence us. Instead, it has strengthened our resolve to speak the truth.”

The women urged the state government to repair the broken borehole and revive the Lafiagi Waterworks to alleviate the hardship faced by the community.

Afrika Eyes had reported that Ilorin Magistrate Court has ordered the remand of Tauheed Baruwa Muhammed, a journalist and publisher of NUPEKOTV-Lafiagi, following a social media post alleging financial misconduct and lack of accountability by the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Usman Yunusa Lade.

The court, sitting in Ilorin lasy week Wednesday, directed that Muhammed be kept in prison custody pending the hearing of his bail application.

The journalist was arraigned after Commissioner Lade filed a criminal complaint, claiming the Facebook post was defamatory and designed to damage his reputation.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, the magistrate instructed the defendant’s counsel, Lere Abdul, to file a formal written application for bail and adjourned the matter until October 20, 2025, for hearing.

According to court documents, the complaint accuses Muhammed of publishing and circulating a report titled “Hon Usman Lade, Kwara Comm. for Water Resources Under Fire for Mismanagement and Neglect” on July 28, 2024.

Lade’s counsel alleged that the publication falsely accused the commissioner of embezzlement, mismanagement, and incompetence in office.

The commissioner described the post as “malicious and baseless,” claiming it was aimed at tarnishing his image and misleading the public.

The suit also states that Muhammed’s Facebook page, with more than 27,000 followers, amplified the story across other social media platforms and WhatsApp groups, causing “maximum reputational damage.”

Meanwhile, residents of Lade community in Patigi Local Government Area — the commissioner’s hometown — have accused the Kwara State Government of using law enforcement agencies and the courts to intimidate journalists and activists who demand accountability.