The Association of Kwara Online Media Practitioners (ASKOMP) has waded into the ongoing legal battle involving the Publisher of NupekoTV, Tauheed Mohammed, and the Kwara State Commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Lade.
In a statement issued on Friday by its Chairman, Salihu Shola Taofeek, the association confirmed it is mediating to secure the release of Mr. Mohammed, who was remanded at the Oke Kura Correctional Centre, Ilorin, on Wednesday, October 15, 2025, following criminal charges filed by the Commissioner.
The case, ASKOMP noted, comes despite an ongoing civil defamation suit in which the Commissioner is already seeking ₦10 million in damages over a story published by NupekoTV in September 2024.
While acknowledging that every citizen has the right to seek redress through the courts, ASKOMP expressed concern over what it described as “a growing trend of using defamation laws to silence journalists.”
“It is unfortunate that the Honourable Commissioner filed both civil and criminal charges against the NupekoTV Publisher simultaneously,” the statement read. “ASKOMP condemns the systematic attempt by highly placed individuals to intimidate and harass journalists through legal means. The association is engaging all parties to ensure a prompt and amicable resolution.”
Taofeek reaffirmed ASKOMP’s commitment to promoting professionalism, objective reporting, and adherence to international best practices in journalism.
The association also called for the repeal of sections of Nigeria’s defamation law that are “being weaponised to criminalise the practice of journalism,” urging policymakers to align national legislation with democratic norms that protect press freedom.
Leave a Reply