Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
The Nigeria Police Force has filed six-count cybercrime charges before the Federal High Court in Abuja against a Kano-based Islamic cleric, Sheikh Adam Zubair Adam, popularly known as Baffa Hotoro, over allegations of criminal defamation, intimidation, and incitement.
The charges are linked to sermons and public statements allegedly directed at the late Islamic scholar Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and Sheikh Mannir Adam Koza. According to court filings, the police allege that the content of the sermons amounted to defamatory communication and had the potential to incite public disorder.
The case was filed under Section 24(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended in 2024, which criminalises the use of electronic systems or digital platforms to transmit information considered false, offensive, or capable of causing harm, intimidation, or disruption of public peace.
Reports indicate that the alleged statements were circulated through digital platforms and sermon recordings, which is why the police are prosecuting the matter under cybercrime provisions rather than purely traditional defamation law.
The charges were filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, where the cleric is expected to be arraigned. The case is currently at the pre-trial stage, meaning no plea has been entered and no judicial determination has been made on the allegations.
Police authorities allege that the sermons targeted respected religious figures in a manner capable of escalating tensions within religious communities. However, the full evidentiary basis of the allegations has not been made public at this stage, and the court will determine admissibility and merit during trial proceedings.
The filing reflects an ongoing pattern in Nigeria where speech delivered via sermons, social media, or recorded content is increasingly being prosecuted under cybercrime legislation when authorities argue it may affect public order or incite hostility. Legal analysts note that such cases often raise constitutional questions around freedom of expression, religious commentary, and criminal liability under digital communication laws.
As of reporting time, the Nigeria Police Force has not issued additional operational details beyond the charge filing, and no ruling or conviction has been recorded in the matter.
Stone Reporters note that the case will likely test how Nigeria’s amended Cybercrimes Act is applied to religious speech and digital sermon dissemination, particularly in sensitive inter-clerical disputes.
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