The legal standoff between the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Lade, and the founder of Nupekotv, Tauheed Baruwa Muhammed, has taken a dramatic turn as the Commissioner files fresh criminal charges against the media entrepreneur — even as a separate ₦10 million defamation suit remains pending in court.
According to official court documents dated September 22, 2025, Lade’s direct criminal complaint accuses Muhammed of multiple offences under the Penal Code, including defamation, printing and selling defamatory material, and criminal intimidation.
This latest move underscores the Commissioner’s determination to seek both financial compensation and criminal accountability over what he describes as “malicious and false reporting.”
The case stems from a July 28, 2024 report published by NupekotvLafiagi, titled “Hon Usman Lade, Kwara Commissioner for Water Resources Under Fire for Mismanagement and Neglect.” The publication accused Lade of neglecting his core duties by failing to address acute water shortages in Lafiagi and nearby communities while allegedly mismanaging resources.
Lade has since refuted the claims, maintaining that the Lafiagi Waterworks rehabilitation is complete and that the allegations of ongoing water scarcity are “baseless and politically motivated.”
In his complaint, Lade argued that the publication inflicted “grave reputational and emotional harm” on him, his family, and his office, describing the article as “deliberately false and malicious.”
Represented by counsels Dayo M. Zulqurnaini, Esq., and Abdulmalik Yusuf Bello, Esq., the Commissioner is asking the court to issue a warrant compelling Muhammed’s appearance and to prosecute him in accordance with the law.
The latest development adds a new layer to the already tense standoff between the government official and the media outlet, reigniting debate over the balance between press freedom and the protection of personal reputation.
Observers say the case could set a crucial precedent for how public figures and journalists navigate the boundaries of accountability and defamation in Nigeria’s evolving media landscape.
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