The Nigeria Police Force has reportedly arrested Dele Farotimi, a prominent human rights lawyer. The news surfaced on Tuesday through Omoyele Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) and good governance advocate, who made the announcement on X (formerly Twitter).
“I just learned that Dele Farotimi was arrested by the Nigerian Police over a petition by Tony Elumelu of UBA Group alleging Dele defamed him,” Sowore posted. “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.”
Farotimi, a vocal critic of government policies and a staunch advocate for citizens’ welfare, had earlier revealed attempts by the police to detain him. He disclosed that he received an invitation from the Zone 2 Police Command in Lagos on November 11, instructing him to report to their office on November 13.
Upon his arrival, Farotimi said the police presented a petition accusing him of defamation, reportedly written by a lawyer representing Tony Elumelu, Chairman of UBA Group.
The incident adds to a series of controversial arrests by Nigerian security forces targeting lawyers, journalists, and critics.
In May, police abducted Daniel Ojukwu, a journalist with FIJ, and detained him for ten days. It took intense media coverage and public outcry to secure his release. Similarly, in December 2023, police unlawfully arrested and detained Ben-Kingsley Nwashara, a single father, in Enugu. They allegedly threatened him with assault while his young daughter was left unattended at home. Nwashara was only freed after his case drew public attention.
These incidents have heightened concerns about the misuse of state security apparatus for arbitrary arrests, raising questions about the protection of free speech and the rule of law in Nigeria.
