A prominent human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, has been arrested by the Nigerian police at Zone 2 in Lagos following a petition lodged by Tony Elumelu, chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group. Reports indicate that the petition accuses Farotimi of defaming Elumelu through his public statements.
Previously, Farotimi had raised concerns about alleged threats to his life, claiming they originated from certain Nigerian elites in collusion with security agencies and some legal professionals. In a statement he signed and titled, “They Want to Silence Me”, Farotimi recounted how, on November 11, he was informed that an invitation letter from the Zone 2 Police Command had been delivered to his office.
The letter requested that he report to the station on November 13 at 10:00 AM. Accompanied by his legal counsel, Farotimi arrived at the station at 9:45 AM on the specified date, where he was presented with a petition drafted by a lawyer on behalf of Mr. Tony Elumelu, accusing him of defamation.
“Despite finding the petition baseless, I addressed its content,” Farotimi stated. Meanwhile, fellow Nigerian human rights activist Omoyele Sowore condemned Farotimi’s arrest on Tuesday via his X handle, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of the lawyer.
Sowore remarked, “I have just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by the Nigerian Police Force due to a petition from Tony Elumelu of UBA Group, alleging defamation.
“It is crucial that the Nigerian police are informed that they cannot continue to be used as a tool to settle personal vendettas, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, will no longer accept such behaviour. Thus, I urge the Police at Zone 2 in Lagos to release Barrister Farotimi without delay,” he added.
