CSO Coalition Calls for Dismissal of Charges Against Farotimi, Deems His Arrest Unconstitutional

CSO Coalition Calls for Dismissal of Charges Against Farotimi, Deems His Arrest Unconstitutional

By Fly Cable News

A coalition of over eighty civil society groups and non-governmental organizations has strongly condemned the arrest, detention, and mistreatment of human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi, who is accused of defaming legal expert Afe Babalola. The coalition has demanded that the police drop all charges against Farotimi and release him without conditions.

The coalition described Farotimi’s arrest as a violation of his rights, stating that the activist should not have been treated as a criminal in a case involving civil defamation, as outlined in Section 4 of the Police Act of 2020.

The group expressed concern over the aggressive and confrontational nature of the arrest, which involved police officers crossing state lines to detain him. CCTV footage from Farotimi’s office revealed the unprofessional and violent conduct of the officers.

The statement, issued by Abubakar Mohammed of the 21st Century Community Empowerment for Youth and Women Initiative, further highlighted that criminal defamation is not recognized under Ekiti State’s Criminal Law of 2021, nor is it part of the Criminal Code in Lagos, where Farotimi resides.

The coalition pointed out that under Section 36(12) of Nigeria’s Constitution, a person cannot be convicted of a criminal offense unless it is clearly defined in written law.

The coalition is calling for the immediate dismissal of charges against Farotimi, urging the Attorney General of Ekiti State to intervene if the police do not act swiftly.

They also called for the repeal of all laws supporting criminal defamation in Nigeria and for cases initiated under these laws to be struck out by the courts.

Additionally, the coalition called for the Inspector-General of Police to issue an order prohibiting arrests based on defamation charges and emphasized that individuals who believe their reputations have been harmed by Farotimi’s book should seek redress through civil courts.

The group urged law enforcement agencies to fulfill their constitutional duty to protect citizens, rather than serving as instruments for silencing dissent.