Human rights lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi, has vowed to take legal action against those he claims were responsible for his arrest and detention, despite the withdrawal of the defamation case filed against him by respected legal icon, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN).
Mr. Farotimi was arrested by the police in Lagos in December 2024 and taken to Ekiti State, where he was arraigned for alleged defamation of Afe Babalola in his book titled “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.” The case led to his 21-day remand by a magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti.
However, the legal battle took a new turn when Babalola decided to withdraw the case following pleas from traditional rulers in the South-West, including the Ooni of Ife and five other monarchs. It was also gathered that former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Bishop Matthew Kukah were among those who intervened.
Speaking on Sunday Politics, a Channels Television programme, Mr. Farotimi made it clear that, although the criminal matter has been withdrawn, the issue is far from over for him.
“I was always at peace, but those who abused state power for a private matter must give account. My incarceration is not for banter — it’s for the courts to decide,” he said.
He further explained that while he appreciated the withdrawal of the case, he was neither informed nor consulted before the intervention by notable figures. “I never sent anyone to plead on my behalf,” he added.
On who would be sued, Mr. Farotimi said his legal team would determine the appropriate parties to face legal action.
“Whether it’s the police, the magistrate, or those who wrote the petition — somebody will explain my unlawful detention,” he said.
The defamation case, now discontinued, may have ended legally, but with Farotimi’s insistence on seeking redress, another legal battle may be in sight.
