Kwara commissioner slams N10m lawsuit against Media outlet over allegations of negligence
The Kwara State commissioner for Water Resources, Hon. Usman Lade, has slammed an N10m lawsuit against Nupekotvlafiagi, a local media outlet, over a report accusing him of neglecting his core responsibilities.
The controversial article, published by Nupekotvlafiagi, alleged that Lade was distributing farm inputs—a task deemed outside the scope of his role as Commissioner for Water Resources, adding that Lade’s actions were a diversion from his primary duty to address the pressing water needs of residents in Lafiagi and surrounding regions.
According to the outlet, communities in these areas have been grappling with severe water shortages, with many residents reportedly “crying out” for relief. Instead of addressing these concerns, the commissioner opted to take legal action against the media outlet, demanding N10 million in damages for what he describes as defamatory and false reporting.
In response to the allegations, Hon. Usman Lade has maintained that the rehabilitation of the Lafiagi waterworks has been completed, adding that the project has been successfully executed and that the claims of persistent water shortages are unfounded.
However, according to Nupekotvlafiagi, residents and critics have questioned the effectiveness of the rehabilitation, noting that access to clean water remains a significant challenge in the region.
