Human Rights Lawyer Dele Farotimi Arrested by Nigerian Police Over Alleged Defamation

Human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi has been arrested by the Nigeria Police.

He was arrested at Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos, following a defamation petition filed by Tony Elumelu, the Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group.

The arrest comes amidst ongoing tensions, with Farotimi previously raising concerns over alleged threats to his life by influential figures within Nigerian elite circles, purportedly in collaboration with security agencies and legal professionals.

In a statement titled “They Want to Silence Me”, Farotimi revealed that he received an invitation to report to Zone 2 Command on November 13, 2024.

He said he complied with the directive and was presented with the petition accusing him of making defamatory statements 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.”