Kwara North Development Commission, KNDC, has expressed grave concern over recent developments in the Kwara State High Court sitting in Ilorin, where Iliasu Ibrahim, Shola Muse, and Adesomowo Adegogo were remanded in a correctional centre over an alleged defamation case.
The Commission described the development as a clear case of judicial overreach and executive interference in the judiciary.
In a statement issued Wednesday in Ilorin, President of the Commission, Abdullahi Mansuma, and Publicity Secretary, Hajia Zainabu Seko, condemned what they described as a travesty of justice orchestrated to silence critical voices in the state.
According to reports, the three defendants were remanded by Justice E. B. Mohammed over statements allegedly made during a radio programme concerning the Mutawali of Ilorin, Dr. Alimi AbdulRazaq.
The remand order came despite the constitutional presumption of innocence and the fundamental rights of the defendants to fair hearing.
The Commission noted among others that “the haste with which the court proceeded to remand the defendants raises serious questions about the impartiality of the presiding judge”.
The Commission said while it welcomes all divergent views on the state of affairs in Kwara, “we cannot stand by and watch when citizens are being persecuted for exercising their right to free speech”.
“The political space in Kwara is becoming increasingly suffocating under this administration.
“The rising insecurity across both Kwara North and Kwara South Senatorial Districts has reached unprecedented levels never witnessed in the history of the state.
“Yet, rather than focus on securing lives and property, the administration is busy deploying state apparatus to silence perceived political opponents,” the statement added.
The Commission threatened to petition the National Judicial Council, NJC, over the conduct of Justice E. B. Mohammed, arguing that “a judge who refuses to give defendants a fair hearing while doing the bidding of the Governor has no business remaining on the bench”.
“The NJC must immediately investigate this travesty and sanction the erring judge accordingly,” it added.
The Commission also called on all well-meaning Kwarans, civil society organizations and the legal community to take notice of what it described as developing judicial dictatorship.
“The rising wave of insecurity from banditry in Kwara North and South to violent crimes across Kwara—demands the Governor’s full attention, not this distraction of hunting down critics.
“As the case is adjourned to February 25, 2026, we stand in solidarity with Hon. Iliasu Ibrahim, Shola Muse, and Adesomowo Adegogo,” the statement added.
Group condemns remand of three critics in Kwara
