The magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti has denied a human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, bail, following his arrest after allegedly defaming the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti, Afe Babalola.
In the suit filed by the Nigerian Police against him over alleged cybercrime, the court postponed the decision on the bail application brought before it to December 20.
This ruling, however, contradicts the decision of the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which granted Farotimi bail.
During the proceedings on Tuesday, the presiding magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, adjourned the case after the police queried the bail application submitted by Farotimi.
This happened after the police counsel, Samson Osobu, argued that the bail application submitted by the defendant was incomplete and not properly filed.
Farotimi was arrested in Lagos by the police and transported to Ekiti, where he appeared before the magistrate court hours after.
He was charged with defamation stemming from statements in his book, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’ where he alleged that Babalola had compromised the Supreme Court.
In his ruling, the Chief Magistrates Court in the Ado Ekiti Division ordered that Farotimi be remanded at the state’s correctional centre.
After the proceedings, former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, and a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, condemned his arrest and demanded Farotimi’s release.
Sowore stated, “It is pertinent that the Nigerian police are notified that the institution cannot continue to be used to settle personal scores, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, would no longer tolerate such a situation.
“Therefore, the police at Zone 2 in Lagos are advised to release Barrister Dele Farotimi immediately.”
Falana, while condemning the arrest of the activist from his Lagos office, described the actions of the Nigerian police as illegal.
Falana demanded Farotimi’s unconditional release, stating, “The arrest is unlawful and we demand his immediate release from police custody.”
In defence of the arrest, the police claimed Farotimi ignored previous invitations to appear before them, citing cyberbullying and defamation as the grounds for his detention.
