The Ekiti State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of a human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi.

Police Public Relations Officer, Sunday Abutu said operatives arrested Farotimi over a petition about alleged defamation and cyberbullying.

Abutu said the command obtained a warrant of arrest against Farotimi regarding the case, adding that the activist is currently being transported from Lagos to Ekiti State.

But the police spokesperson declined to name the complainant, who wrote the petition against Farotimi.

Reacting to Farotimi’s arrest, Femi Falana, SAN, called for the unconditional release of the activist.

Falana, in a statement said: “I just confirmed that Dele Farotimi was arrested in Lagos for alleged criminal libel.

“In demanding for Mr Farotimi’s unconditionally release from illegal custody, I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalised defamation in its entirety

“In fact, the current state of the law was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Aviomoh v Commissioner of Police & Anor. (2021) LPELR-55203(SC) when Helen Ogunwumiju JSC held that “Defamation was decriminalised in the Criminal Law of Lagos in 2011 and Edo State Criminal Law Bill 2020.”

Obi demands activist’s release

Also condemning Farotimi’s arrest, the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party in the 2023 elections, Mr Peter Obi, described the arrest as misuse of police powers and an assault on democratic liberties.

Obi, in a tweet on his X handle, said: “I just learned of the arrest of Dele Farotimi, a respected human rights lawyer and advocate, over an allegation of defamation. “This action is a gross misuse of police powers and a grave assault on the principles of democracy and justice in Nigeria. “I condemn this action in totality. It represents not only an attempt to intimidate opposing voices from questioning authority.

“It is also a worrying signal to every Nigerian who loves and values freedom of expression and dares to demand accountability and transparency.

“As a private citizen, former governor, and even today, I am frequently defamed, insulted, and lied about and against.

“Yet, I have never resorted to using the Nigerian police or filing reports to silence others.

“I hereby request that Dele Farotimi should be released immediately and unconditionally. The police must recognize that their allegiance is to the Constitution and the people of Nigeria, not to narrow interests at the behest of those in power. A new more Just and fair Nigeria is possible.”

Former Vice President and 2023 presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, condemned the arrest and detention of lawyer and human rights advocate, Dele Farotimi, labeling it a calculated attempt by the Tinubu administration to stifle fundamental rights to free expression.

Atiku described Farotimi’s arrest as a grim throwback to the oppressive era of military rule, where dissent was systematically crushed.

He decried the involvement of law enforcement in what he termed a civil matter of defamation, calling it an “overreach of unimaginable proportions.”

Atiku accused the administration of pursuing an “insidious agenda” to intimidate critics and silence opposing voices.

He warned that such actions were eroding democratic principles and fostering a one-party state, urging the government to respect constitutionally enshrined rights to free speech and association.

Calling for Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release, Atiku urged the Tinubu administration to refrain from weaponizing law enforcement agencies for political vendettas.

Farotimi, a vocal critic of the government, was reportedly arrested on charges of defamation, sparking widespread outrage among activists, civil society groups, and opposition leaders, who view the action as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Nigeria.

Atiku’s statement is the latest in a series of criticisms against the administration’s perceived disregard for democratic norms and human rights.