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Dele Farotimi wins Man of The Year award

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago01 mins

Nigerian Lawyer and Human Rights activist, Dele Farotimi has been named Man of the Year. The Editorial Board of Atlantic Digest, an online media publication on Thursday, adjudged the frontline legal luminary as their Man of the Year. “Dear Mr. Farotimi, we cherish you and all you do for public advocacy. “You remain a towering inferno against oppression and the primus inter pares amongst patriots who intend to liberate Nigeria,” the Editorial board Atlantic Digest stated. Farotimi was arrested in Lagos State on December 3, 2024, and extradited to Ekiti State by the Nigerian Police Force in connection with his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System. The arrest followed allegations of defamation brought against him by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Afe Babalola. Farotimi’s detention sparked widespread outrage, with activists, legal practitioners, and civil society organisations condemning the action as an attempt to stifle free speech and dissent.

LPDC rejects Afe Babalola’s petition seeking Farotimi’s disbarment

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago03 mins

The Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee (LPDC) has rejected petition seeking the disbarment of Dele Farotimi, a human rights lawyer, by Emmanuel Chambers, Afe Babalola’s law firm. While rejecting the petition, the LPDC in its report which became public knowledge on Tuesday, determined that the alleged offences occurred in Farotimi’s capacity as an author, not during his practice as a legal professional. The committee then concluded that it lacked jurisdiction to address complaints about publications and advised aggrieved parties to seek redress in regular courts. READ ALSO: UPDATED: Dele Farotimi Released From Ekiti Prison “The publication is an intellectual property and not a conduct or action committed while practising as a Legal Practitioner. All aggrieved parties who find the publication ‘defamatory’ should ventilate their grievances through the regular courts,” LPDC’s report stated. Emmanuel Chambers had alleged in its 90-page petition that was sent to the LPDC on December 6, that Farotimi, in his book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, made defamatory statements against the Supreme Court and the legal profession. The Chambers’ petition also accused Farotimi of distorting case facts, disrespecting fellow lawyers, and engaging in actions that obstructed justice for personal gain. READ ALSO: Afe Babalola’s Relative Vows Anyone Who Protests Farotimi’s Arrest in Ekiti ‘Will Suffer’ The petition claimed that the human rights lawyer’s book violated several sections of the Rules of Professional Conduct for Legal Practitioners 2023 and requested that his name be struck off the Roll of Legal Practitioners. The LPDC is responsible for investigating and addressing cases of misconduct among legal professionals in Nigeria. The committee’s decision to reject the petition coincides with Farotimi’s release by the Ekiti State Police Command after spending three weeks in their custody. Farotimi’s arrest on December 3 was inspired by a petition the same Babalola had written to the police, claiming he had been defamed by the lawyer in his book.

Dele Farotimi regains freedom 21 days after arrest

Our Reporters3 months ago3 months ago02 mins

Dele Farotimi, a human rights advocate, has been released from the correctional centre in Ekiti State after meeting his bail conditions. Farotimi was released on Tuesday morning. A Presidential Candidate of the African Pro….Omoyele Sowore revealed the development in a post on his X handle. “I’m pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held at the prison yards in Ekiti State and is now returning home to Lagos. “The stfruggle continues! “Happy holidays to you all,” Sowore wrote. Recall that a Magistrate’s Court in Ado-Ekiti granted N30 million bail to Farotimi last Friday. Farotimi, had since December 4, been remanded in prison over alleged defamation of Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD). He was arrested in Lagos on Dec 3, 2024 by police officers deployed from the Ekiti State police command and taken to Ado Ekiti the same day.

NBA calls for immediate release of Dele Farotimi

Our Reporters4 months ago4 months ago03 mins

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has been deeply concerned by the arrest of Dele Farotimi on allegations of libel. In a statement signed the President of NBA, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN urged the security agency to ensure restraints in the enforcement of the law. The statement reads; “While we recognize the powers of the Nigerian Police Force to arrest and investigate crimes, we firmly believe that such powers must be exercised within the confines of the law and in respect of offenses known to law. “It is in this context that we oppose the arrest of Dele Farotimi on allegations of libel, which is not recognized as a criminal offense under the laws of Lagos State. “The Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 repealed the criminalization of defamation by omitting it from its provisions. “Previously, defamation was criminalized under the Criminal Code applicable in Southern Nigeria. However, Lagos State modernized its criminal law framework through the enactment of the 2011 law, aligning with global best practices that treat defamation as a civil wrong, not a criminal offense. “This position was emphatically affirmed by the Supreme Court in Aviomoh v. Commissioner of Police & Anor (2021), where Justice Helen Ogunwumiju held that defamation ceased to be a criminal offense in Lagos State following the enactment of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011. “Furthermore, the Nigerian Police Force derives its powers to arrest and investigate crimes under Sections 4 and 24 of the Police Act, 2020. These provisions mandate the Police to act only in respect of conduct that constitutes a criminal offense under Nigerian law. Arresting individuals for non-criminal matters, such as defamation in Lagos State, is a clear violation of these legal principles and an affront to the rule of law.” The NBA unequivocally demanded the immediate release of Dele Farotimi and calls on the Nigerian Police Force to exercise its powers responsibly and strictly in accordance with the law. “We also urge all law enforcement agencies to prioritize respect for human rights and adherence to the principles of legality, as these are foundational to the administration of justice and the protection of citizens.”