Atiku, Afenifere Condemn Police Actions As Court Sends Human Rights Lawyer, Farotimi, To Custody

Atiku, Afenifere Condemn Police Actions As Court Sends Human Rights Lawyer, Farotimi, To CustodyFormer Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the pan-Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, have strongly condemned the arrest and detention of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by the police.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Farotimi was arrested on Monday by police officers from Ekiti State and brought to Ado Ekiti for arraignment. He faces charges of defamation related to his book, Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System. In the book, Farotimi accused prominent lawyer Aare Afe Babalola (SAN) of compromising the Supreme Court, among other allegations. He is also charged with cyberbullying and defamation, with 16 counts filed against him by the police.

On Wednesday, an Ekiti State Chief Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Abayomi Adeosun, ordered Farotimi’s remand at the Ado Ekiti correctional centre, adjourning the case to December 10, 2024. The Chief Magistrate expressed frustration with Farotimi’s legal team, who relied on previous court rulings instead of introducing new evidence in his defense.

Atiku, in a statement on Wednesday, denounced the arrest, drawing parallels to the repressive tactics used during military dictatorship. He described the police’s actions as an overreach and an attempt to suppress free expression.

“The arrest and detention of Dele Farotimi, a lawyer and human rights advocate, is a clear violation of democratic principles,” Atiku said. “It is a stark reminder of the dark era of military rule, when dissent was brutally suppressed.” He further criticized the police’s involvement in what he called a civil matter, arguing that defamation should not have led to such heavy-handed law enforcement intervention.

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