Police Arrest Human Rights Lawyer Farotimi Over Defamation Allegation

Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have reportedly arrested human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

Farotimi’s arrest was revealed by the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, in a post on his X handle yesterday.

Sowore called for the lawyer’s immediate release, emphasising that the police should not be used to settle personal disputes.

Sowore wrote: “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 Dele Farotimi immediately.” However, the police spokesperson at the Zone 2 Command, SP Ummar Ayuba, refuted the arrest claim.

She said: “We did not make any arrest. He is not in our custody.” Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, confirmed that the lawyer was arrested for various alleged offences.

The commissioner said that the offences committed included “defamation of character, cyberstalking, and other things. But those two are fully established.”