Human rights advocate and lawyer Dele Farotimi has taken legal steps against his recent arrest by the Ekiti State Police Command.
Farotimi’s legal counsel, Ralph Nwoke, disclosed that a fundamental rights lawsuit had been filed at the Lagos State High Court to clarify the circumstances surrounding the arrest. Speaking with News Central, Nwoke described how the police raided Farotimi’s office, confiscated phones and other devices from staff, and allegedly threatened violence against those who resisted. “We’re in court. We’ve filed a fundamental human rights application at the Lagos State High Court. We’re seeking further details on what transpired,” Nwoke explained.
According to a report by Chronicles Reporters on Tuesday, Farotimi was arrested and taken to Ekiti State over allegations of defaming renowned legal luminary Afe Babalola in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
On Wednesday, Farotimi was arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Ado-Ekiti, where he pleaded “not guilty” to the 16 charges leveled against him. Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun denied him bail and ordered his remand at a correctional facility until December 10, when the case will resume.
The arrest, detention, and subsequent remand of Farotimi have sparked widespread outrage among human rights activists, who view the actions as a disturbing regression to authoritarian practices.
The Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRAAN) issued a statement urging the Chief Justice of Nigeria to intervene. The organization expressed concern over what it described as a troubling alignment between the judiciary and police. “The courts are becoming an extension of the police, undermining the hard-earned constitutional rights of citizens,” said CRAAN President Olu Omotayo. “This alarming trend demands urgent attention.”
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