Oyo, Abuja Courts Ban Dele Farotimi’s Book Over Defamation Allegations

Oluwasegun SanusiDecember 12, 20241 Mins read209

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja and an Oyo State High Court have issued separate orders restraining human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi, from further publishing, selling, or distributing his book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.”

Justice Peter Kekemeke of the FCT High Court in Abuja granted an ex parte application on Wednesday, filed by Kehinde Ogunwumiju (SAN), the Managing Partner at Afe Babalola & Co. The application sought to prohibit Farotimi and others from disseminating the book, which has been alleged to contain defamatory content against the firm’s founder, Aare Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).

The judge also directed the seizure of all copies of the book, ordering the Nigeria Police Force, State Security Service (SSS), and other security agencies to confiscate both physical and digital versions. The ban includes prohibitions against advertising, circulating, or republishing the book on social media or other electronic platforms.

Similarly, the Oyo State High Court issued an interim injunction restraining Farotimi or anyone acting on his behalf from printing or distributing the book.

Farotimi is currently facing multiple legal battles over claims in his book, in which he allegedly accused Babalola and other SANs of corrupting Supreme Court justices.

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Following a petition from Babalola, the activist and lawyer was abducted by the police, arraigned on charges of defamation and cyberbullying before the Federal High Court in Ekiti State and a Magistrates’ Court in Ado-Ekiti.

As part of the legal proceedings, Farotimi has been further remanded in prison. The court has adjourned his bail ruling to December 20.