Court of Appeal Dismisses Charges Against Bukola Saraki

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ilorin ruled on October 13, 2026, that the Kwara State Government's charges of criminal defamation and cyberbullying against former Senate President Bukola Saraki were unfounded. Justice Ridwan Abdullahi, alongside Justices Gabriel Omoniyi Kolawole and Abdu Dogo, stated that the prosecution did not establish any criminal offense.

The court found that the witnesses for the prosecution merely expressed displeasure at Saraki's remarks, which questioned Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq's educational qualifications. The court emphasized that Saraki's comments could not incite violence or disrupt public order.

It also clarified that the laws cited by the prosecution were not intended to protect public officials from criticism. Following the verdict, Saraki expressed gratitude to the judiciary for upholding justice and reaffirmed his commitment to addressing public concerns, including the governor's educational background.