Ilorin Cleric Drags Ogbomosho Scholar to Court for Defamation

Ilorin, Kwara State – Tuesday, July 1, 2025

A respected Islamic cleric, Shaykh Abu Sheriff, has filed a direct criminal complaint at Upper Area Court 3, Pake, Ilorin, against four individuals—Adam Abdulrauf, Ibrahim, Abdul Wasii, and Dr. Sharafdeen Gbadebo Raji—for allegedly spreading false and inciting information against the Ilorin Muslim community through a viral video.

The complaint, filed through the Al-Ihsan Chambers led by Dr. J.F. Yusuph and other prominent legal practitioners, accuses the four men of criminal conspiracy, defamation, disturbance of public peace, inciting disturbance, injurious falsehood, and exciting hatred between classes—offences punishable under Sections 96, 97, 113, 114, 392, 393, and 417 of the Penal Code Law of Kwara State.

According to the legal filing, the video, now circulating widely on Facebook and other social media platforms, allegedly contains inflammatory statements aimed at discrediting the Islamic identity and historical heritage of Ilorin Emirate.

In the video, Adam Abdulrauf reportedly claimed that Ilorin residents worship “ORO,” a traditional cult, and partake in “Ijesu Festival,” both of which contradict Islamic teachings. Another accused, identified as Ibrahim, allegedly said the people of Ilorin worship at burial grounds (“Saare”), a statement described as a gross misrepresentation of the religious values of the community.

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The third accused, Abdul Wasii, is said to have alleged that Ilorin women used to fetch water for Islamic clerics to pray over and further claimed that the people once worshipped “Oke Sobi” and even venerated the clerics themselves. These comments, the complaint argues, were designed to malign the city’s Islamic clerical leadership.

The most serious accusation, however, is directed at Dr. Sharafdeen Gbadebo Raji of Ogbomosho, who is alleged to have coordinated, anchored, and possibly sponsored the video production. The complaint states that he guided the conversation, encouraged the speakers, and presented them with gifts—acts interpreted as deliberate endorsement of the defamatory content.

The Merit Newspaper reports that the video has reportedly caused significant public unrest and emotional harm within the Ilorin Muslim community, prompting fears of religious tension in a city historically known for its Islamic identity and peaceful coexistence.

“The statements made in the video are deliberate fabrications aimed at inciting hatred, defaming the Islamic heritage of Ilorin, and disturbing public peace,” the legal team asserted in their complaint. “We urge this Honourable Court to issue criminal summons for the arraignment and prosecution of the defendants.”

The case, registered under file number WAGNERS/75/2025, has drawn the attention of religious and legal circles across Kwara State. The Upper Area Court has already issued summons to the accused, requesting their appearance in court to answer the charges.

Legal observers say the case could set a precedent in addressing the growing concerns about religious misinformation and the misuse of digital platforms to provoke communal discord.

Efforts to contact the accused persons or their legal representatives were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.

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Meanwhile, community leaders in Ilorin have called for calm, urging residents to allow the legal process to take its full course.