Court Fixes 19 Oct For Baffa Hotoro’s Cybercrime, Defamation Case

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had fixed 19 October 2026 for the arraignment of Kano-based cleric, Sheikh Adam Zubair Adam (Baffa Hotoro).

Mr Hotoro is standing trial for alleged criminal defamation of the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi and Sheikh Munir Adam Koza.

The court had set 19 October 2026 for the cleric’s arraignment.

The Inspector General of Police had filed a two-count charge against the cleric under the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.). Act, 2015 (as amended in 2024) in a case No. FHC/ABJ/CR/87/2026.

The court, presided over by Justice M.S. Liman, had adjourned the case on three occasions, primarily due to Sheikh Hotoro’s non-appearance for arraignment.

Mr Hotoro, who was arrested and granted bail earlier in February 2026, was to be arraigned at the Federal High Court in Abuja on 23 April 2026, but he was not in court. The court fixed 21 May 2026 for arraignment.

When the case came up on 21 May, the defendant was absent from court, and he did not send any legal representation. The case was then adjourned to 22 July 2026.

During the last sitting, Mr Hotoro was absent again. However, Mr Amos, who appeared for the defendant, presented a medical report indicating that the defendant was indisposed and unable to attend court.

It was, however, observed that the cleric was active on social media and was seen on a Facebook livestream during the court proceedings.

In view of the circumstances, the police made efforts to secure the defendant’s attendance/arrest, but they were unsuccessful.

The court further adjourned the matter to 19 October 2026 for the arraignment.

The Inspector General of Police is the complainant, with Sheikh Hotoro as the defendant.

Sheikh Hotoro is a Salafi cleric who carved a niche for himself in controversies that include attacking Sufi scholars and their venerated saints, as well as his fellow Wahabi clerics.

On 18 June 2024, Mr Hotoro made alleged slanderous and derogatory statements against the two Muslim scholars, swearing by God that they were polytheists and idolaters, who are Islamically banned from entering the Grand Mosque in Makkah (Ka’aba).

The cleric, who was heard boasting that he could defend himself in any court in Nigeria, is now, surprisingly, staying away from court, purportedly to torpedo the legal proceedings.

Earlier on 19 May 2023, the Department of State Services (DSS) arrested Mr Hotoro following complaints from the public and the Kano State government over alleged derogatory comments against Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi. He was later seen in a video apologising to the sheikh, his family and followers.

However, in November 2025, after the passing of the octogenarian scholar, Mr Hotoro was seen in another viral video — allegedly making derogatory statements against the late Islamic scholar again, which was said to be capable of causing sectarian violence that may disrupt national security.

After petitions from the family of the late sheikh and Mr Koza, Mr Hotoro was arrested again on February this year by the police. He was, however, granted bail.

The case was pursuant to petitions, dated 19 July 2024, and 10 December 2025, with Ref Nos: CC/CGA/NPF/013/Vol. 1/24 and CC/CGA/NPF/014/Vol. 1/25, were addressed to the Inspector of Police.

The petitions were filed by  M. M. Nasir of the Compass Chambers, on behalf of Sheikh Koza and Malam Naziru Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, on behalf of the late cleric’s family.

This newspaper has spoken to many Muslim scholars from the Salafi sect in Kano, Abuja, Bauchi, Jos and Kaduna, among others. Still, none of them was sympathetic to the controversial Kano cleric. They said the legal proceedings must be allowed to take their full course to serve as a deterrent to anyone whose stock in trade is attacking fellow clerics and causing communal tensions.