The Nigeria Police have taken into custody well-known human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, at the Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos.
This action follows a defamation complaint lodged by Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group.
This arrest occurs amid rising tensions, as Farotimi has previously expressed fears for his safety, alleging threats from powerful individuals within Nigeria’s elite, who he claims are working in concert with security forces and legal practitioners.
In a statement titled “They Want to Silence Me,” Farotimi disclosed that he was summoned to the Zone 2 Command on November 13, 2024. He stated that he adhered to the summons and was confronted with the allegations of making defamatory remarks against Elumelu.
Farotimi described the accusations as baseless but addressed them formally during his visit to the police station.
The arrest has drawn widespread criticism, including from Nigerian activist and politician Omoyele Sowore, who took to his X (formerly Twitter) account to demand Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release.
Sowore wrote: “I just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by Nigeria Police Force over a petition by Tony Elumelu of UBA Group alleging Dele defamed him.
“It is pertinent that the Nigerian police are notified that the institution cannot continue to be used to settle personal scores, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, would no longer tolerate such a situation.
“Therefore, the Police at Zone 2 in Lagos are advised to release Barrister Farotimi immediately.”
Other Articles
Police bust gun-making factory in Akwa Ibom
[…] Farotimi was arrested in Lagos by the police and transported to Ekiti, where he appeared before the … […]