Peter Obi Reacts as Ekiti Court Sends Top Ally Dele Farotimi to Prison

• Peter Obi condemned the handling of the case involving a prominent Lagos-based activist, Dele Farotimi
• Obi said the remand of Farotimi in Ekiti state "runs foul of every democratic norm that guarantees freedom of expression and innocence until found guilty before a law court"
• In a statement he signed on Wednesday, December 4, Obi stated that "it is curious that the police, who are struggling with a barrage of crimes all over the place, now indulge in civil cases on half complaints and rush to court at the speed of light"

Legit.ng journalist, Ridwan Adeola Yusuf, has over 9 years of experience covering public affairs.

Ado Ekiti, Ekiti state - Nigerian presidential hopeful Peter Obi, on Wednesday, December 4, described the remand of Dele Farotimi over an allegation of defamation as "very disturbing".

Legit.ng had reported how a chief magistrate’s court in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti state capital, on Wednesday, December 4, remanded Obi's ally, Farotimi, in prison over alleged defamation of Afe Babalola, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD).

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Farotimi, a 'retired' lawyer, was seized at an office in Lagos and transported to Ekiti state.

On Tuesday morning, December 3, the opposition figure, who is vocal on social media, raised an alarm. He alleged that officers attached to the Ekiti state police command had perfected plans to "abduct" him from Lagos.

Farotimi accused the command of deploying questionable means to lure him for arrest despite honouring the invitation of Zone 2 police headquarters in Lagos a few weeks ago.

According to sources, Farotimi's comments about Babalola were in a book published in Lagos and not Ekiti. The university founder was said to have deemed the former's remarks about him calumnious.

Following the controversial scene in Lagos on Tuesday, December 3, the Ekiti state police command confirmed Farotimi’s arrest.

Reacting to the Ekiti magistrate court's ruling, Obi said the development "raises serious concerns about the state of justice and freedom of expression in our country, particularly when viewed against the backdrop of the alarming rise in criminal activities across the nation."

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He said:

"Matters of defamation are civil and should be treated as such, not turned into a tool for intimidation or the erosion of fundamental rights.

"The strength of any democracy lies in its ability to tolerate differing opinions and uphold the rule of law without bias.

"I once again call on the authorities to ensure that justice is served impartially."

Moment Dele Farotimi was whisked away

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that activist Aisha Yesufu shared a closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage showing the moment police operatives arrested and took away Farotimi.

Yesufu likened Farotimi's arrest to a terror attack and called on Nigerian authorities to prioritise the urgent task of combating the real threats plaguing our nation.

Source: Legit.ng