Victor Ezeja
The Social and Economic Rights Accountability Project (SERAP) and Amnesty International Nigeria have called for the immediate release of Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi was reportedly arrested in Lagos by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force over alleged defamation.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelIn a post on X, SERAP called on Tinubu’s government to release Farotimi. It warned that the Nigerian authorities should not be using defamation charges to crackdown on critics.
“The Tinubu administration must immediately release activist Dele Farotimi, who is reportedly arrested for alleged defamation. Nigerian authorities should not be using criminal defamation laws to turn critics into criminals and undermine freedom of expression,” SERAP stated.
Amnesty International also condemned the arrest of Farotimi for exercising his right to freedom of expression and called on the authorities to end all forms of repression of people with dissenting voices.
“Amnesty International just received shocking report of the arrest of Dele Farotimi — for exercising his right to freedom of expression. The Nigerian authorities must end repression of dissent and immediately and unconditionally release him.”
Also, rights activities, Aisha Yesufu, berated the police for being used as a weapon of oppression and wondered when that would stop.
“What the heck is going on? Mr Dele Farotimi @DeleFarotimi arrested by police and whereabouts unknown? @PoliceNG when will you stop being a weapon of oppression?
“They want to silence voices #FreeDeleFarotimiNow,” Yesufu stated via her X handle on Tuesday.
Farotimi was said to have been arrested in connection with a petition written against him by Chief Afe Babalola, a Senior Advoicate of Nigeria (SAN), over alleged defamation of character.
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The human rights lawyer had earlier raised the alarm over efforts by a team of police personnel from Ekiti State Command to arrest him in Lagos. In a statement released to the press on Monday, he decried the move, describing it as an act of impunity.
According to him, Chief Babalola is coming after him because of the contents of his recently published book titled: “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.” He said he narrated his experiences with the Nigeria justice system, including his personal experience in a case he was involved in some years ago involving Chief Babalola.
Joining his voice in condemning the arrest, another human rights lawyer and activist, Inibehe Effiong, said the use of the police to settle personal scores is unacceptable. “The police is supposed to serve public interest,” he stated.
Effiong called on the police to grant Farotimi access to his immediate family, whom he said does not know where he has been taken to.
“I call on the Nigeria Police Force to grant him access to his family and his lawyers and release Mr Dele Farotimi immediately,” Effiong added.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
