Accompanied by his legal team, Dele Farotimi arrived at the station 15 minutes early, where he was presented with the petition.
Lagos, Nigeria — Dele Farotimi, a well-known human rights lawyer and activist, was arrested by the Nigerian police at Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos on Tuesday. His arrest followed a petition filed by Tony Elumelu, chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group, accusing Farotimi of defamation.
Reports reveal that the petition alleges Farotimi made defamatory statements against Elumelu in public forums. This comes amidst Farotimi’s recent claims that he has been facing threats to his life from Nigerian elites allegedly working in collaboration with security agencies and certain legal professionals.
Farotimi, in a statement titled “They Want to Silence Me,” disclosed that on November 11, he received an invitation letter from Zone 2 Police Command requesting his presence at their station on November 13 at 10:00 AM.
Accompanied by his legal team, Farotimi arrived at the station 15 minutes early, where he was presented with the petition. He described the allegations as “baseless” but stated that he addressed the claims in good faith.
The arrest has sparked widespread criticism. Fellow activist and politician Omoyele Sowore condemned the action, calling for Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release.
“I have just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by the Nigerian Police Force due to a petition from Tony Elumelu of UBA Group, alleging defamation,” Sowore posted on his X (formerly Twitter) account. “It is crucial that the Nigerian police are informed that they cannot continue to be used as a tool to settle personal vendettas. We, the citizens of Nigeria, will no longer accept such behaviour.”
Sowore urged the Zone 2 Police Command to release Farotimi promptly, emphasizing the importance of upholding justice and preventing the misuse of law enforcement agencies.
As of now, the police and representatives of Tony Elumelu have not issued official statements regarding the arrest.
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