Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi has signaled his intent to pursue legal action against those he believes are responsible for his arrest and detention late last year, despite the defamation case that triggered the incident having been dropped.
Farotimi was arrested by police in Lagos in December 2024 and taken to Ekiti State, where he faced charges of defamation. The charges were tied to remarks made in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which reportedly targeted respected legal figure Afe Babalola. A magistrate in Ekiti subsequently ordered Farotimi’s detention for 21 days.
However, after some time, Babalola chose to withdraw the case. While this development effectively ended the legal battle on the surface, Farotimi says the matter is far from over for him. He now plans to take legal action, alleging that state powers were misused for personal gain.
During an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics, Farotimi expressed his frustration at what he described as an abuse of state institutions. “To be frank with you, when you use the word peace, let me continue to reassert that I was always at peace,” he said.
He continued, “But when it comes to demanding an account of those who have perverted the powers of the state in pursuit of a private cause, you can be certain of one thing: some people will account for my incarceration, but that is not a matter for banter. That is something for the courts to decide.”
Farotimi also noted that while the criminal charges were no longer active, other legal steps were being considered.
“So even though the criminal suit has been withdrawn, the civil suits are there, and what I would like to do in response to my incarceration is another ball game entirely, but you can take it to the bank: I will certainly be demanding an account from those who sent me to prison,” he said.
When asked about specific individuals or bodies he planned to sue, Farotimi said those decisions would be made by his legal team. He noted, “Whether it’s the police that I have to be sued, whether it’s the magistrate who sent me to prison, whether it’s the persons who wrote the petition, whether it’s whoever, but somebody would explain.”
