Why We Arrested Human Rights Activist, Dele Farotimi – Police
By Trek Africa Newspaper
Human Rights Activist, Dele Farotimi
The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Abutu Sunday, said the lawyer was arrested on Tuesday in Lagos by operatives of the command.
He added that Farotimi is undergoing interrogations at the command’s headquarters in Ado-Ekiti for allegations of defamation of character and cyberbullying.
The PPRO said: “The Ekiti State Police Command wishes to inform members of the public that one Mr. Dele Farotimi is currently undergoing investigation following a petition written against him to the Office of the Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State Command for an allegation of defamation of character and cyberbullying.
“He was arrested today in Lagos with a warrant after all means deployed by the Command to bring him for interrogation proved abortive.
“He is currently in custody and will be arraigned as soon as investigation is concluded.
Also on Tuesday, human right lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) confirmed Farotimi’s arrest, while demanding his “unconditionally” released from “illegal custody”.
“I just confirmed that Mr. Dele Farotimi was arrested in Lagos today for alleged criminal libel,” he said in a Tuesday statement.
“In demanding Mr. Farotimi’s unconditional release from illegal custody, I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalised defamation in its entirety.
“In fact, the current state of the law was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Aviomoh v Commissioner of Police & Anor. (2021) LPELR-55203(SC) when Helen Ogunwumiju JSC held that “Defamation was decriminalised in the Criminal Law of Lagos in 2011 and Edo State Criminal Law Bill 2020.”
Earlier in the day, Farotimi had alleged that there were plots to silence him after he received a police invite.
“At the station, I was presented with a petition written by a lawyer, accusing me of defamation,” he wrote on social media. “Despite finding the petition baseless, I addressed its content,” he had said.
