A staff of Arabic and Islamic Training Center, Markaz, Agege, Lagos, Moshood Quadri, popularly called ‘Yesaloonaka’ has publicly apologized to the President and Chief Lecture of Academy of Islamic Propagation, ACADIP, Mallam Yusuf Adepoju, over defamatory comments.

Yesaloonaka, in a series of live programmes on his facebook page, had used many derogatory and defamatory languages against Adepoju describing him as a terrorist, a member of Boko Haram, kidnapper, among others.

In a suit with charge number FHC/OS/41c/2021, Yesaloonaka was dragged before the Federal High Court, Osogbo, amongst other cases, where he was charged on a two count charge bothering on defamation of character.

According to the charge sheet obtained by HorizonTimes, the offences which bother on cybercrimes are contrary and punishable under sections 24(1)(a)(b) and 24((2)(c) of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015.

The case was instituted by the Commissioner of Police as Complainant, on the 12th of October, 2021.  

Since 2021, Yesaloonaka, had been arrested on a number of occasions in connection with the cases.

Very recently, he was arrested at the Muritala Muhammad International Airport, Lagos, on his way from Saudi Arabia where he had gone to performed hajj, he was remanded in prison for about 9 days.

His arrest was consequent upon no fewer than four warrants of arrest issued against him.

But in another live video on the same page on Wednesday, Yesaloonaka, apologized to the comparative lecturer, saying he was neither a terrorist or a member of the dreaded Boko Haram sect, as alleged.

According to Yesaloonaka, his utterances against the ACADIP founder, was as a result of love for the principal (Mudir) of the Training Center, Sheikh Abeeb Adam.

“Mallam Yusuf is not a killer, I was only overwhelmed with anger and rage and the love for our teacher, but we were not patient or cautious enough, it went overboard.

“He should pardon me for all I have said, it was because of rage. Mallam Yusuf Adepoju is not a Boko Haram member, he is not a terrorist, he is not a killer, he is not a kidnapper.

“From what I have gone through since 2021, I have nothing in my mind against Mallam Yusuf any longer, or anybody. What I am doing now is out of my personal conviction, I was not forced to do it.”

The young cleric also commended Adepoju's father for his underground role at ensuring the settlement of the crisis.

"I appreciate Mallam Yusuf Adepoju on how the matter was addressed, he accepted the positions of the elders, he also wants peace and he demonstrated it, he surprised everybody.

"And Alhaji Adepoju, I appreciate him. Because if Baba had insisted, the matter wouldn’t have been settled, there’s nothing his son (Yusuf Adepoju) could have done, but Baba had settled the matter before Mallam Yusuf came and that is why he was able to accept all that we said.

"Once again, I apologise to Mallam Yusuf Adepoju and seek for Allah’s forgiveness."

HorizonTimes gathered that Yesaloonaka’s apology followed a reconciliation process, at the instance of Mudir-l-Markaz, Sheikh Abeeb, kickstarted through a meting held at Baba Alawe Mosque, Isale Agbara in Osogbo on Tuesday.

Terms and conditions for amicable settlement of the case out of the court, it was gathered, were highlighted and discussed at the meeting.

The meeting had in attendance, according to sources, a centenarian and an associate of the Founder of Markaz, Sheikh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory, populary called Baba Alawe; the Waziri of Markaz, Agege, Sheikh Yahya Al-Fulaani from Kano; two representatives of Mudir in Council; a biological son of Sheikh Adam, Dr Jumah Abdullah, amongst others.

 

Earlier Reconciliation Moves

HorizonTimes further gathered that there had been attempts for reconciliation in the past but were frustrated by the accused person and some of his associates popularly called ‘Muslims in Diaspora’.

“Mallam Adepoju had consented and committed to settling the matter out of the court,” the source said.

Another source who was at the meeting further revealed that the meeting recalled how efforts by the Emir of Ilorin, Chief Imam of Ilorin, Council of Islamic Preachers, etc had failed in the past.

“We had wanted to do it but it didn’t work. The Emir of Ilorin had intervened, it didn’t work; Chief Imam of Ilorin intervened, it didn’t work; Council of Islamic Preachers had intervened, it didn’t work,” the source said.

It was gathered that the Council of Islamic Preachers, having realised the seriousness of the case, approached Mudir-l-Markaz, and Yesaloonaka, for their consents to resolve the matter.

A reconciliation meeting at the instance of the Council of Islamic Preachers led Alhaji Taofeek Abdul Azeez popularly called Akewugbagold on March 19 also failed as Yesaloonaka failed to appear at the meeting.

“Yesaloonaka didn’t show up at the reconciliation meeting despite assurances that he won’t be arrested since court had issued a warrant of arrest against him since January,” the source further said.

The meeting, in the alternative, resolved, it was further gathered, that Yesaloonaka should write a letter requesting for out of court settlement, but refused to act on the resolution, prompting the council to opt out of the reconciliation move.

“It was at that stage that the case had to continue, thus his arrest.”

 

Terms and Condition for Settlement

HorizonTimes further gathered that the terms and conditions for settlement have been handed over to the Yesaloonaka and the reconciliation team.

The terms and conditions, the source said, include public retraction of all allegations on his facebook page, a letter of apology and retraction of all defamatory comments, payment of compensation, amongst others.

 

Further Petitions

HorizonTimes further gathered that there are other petitions against Yesaloonaka by no fewer than five other Islamic scholars whom have also been defamed.