Human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has vowed to take legal action against those responsible for his arrest and detention over a now-withdrawn defamation case filed by legal icon Afe Babalola (SAN).
Farotimi, who was arrested in Lagos in December 2024 and taken to Ekiti by the police, was charged with defaming Babalola in his book *“Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.”* He was remanded for 21 days by an Ekiti Magistrate Court before Babalola eventually withdrew the case following interventions by prominent Nigerians and traditional rulers.
Speaking on Sunday Politics on Channels Television, Farotimi said that although the criminal charges have been dropped, he would pursue civil suits against those he believes abused state power to settle a personal score.
“Some people will account for my incarceration,” Farotimi said. “That is not a matter for banter. It’s for the courts to decide.”
When asked who he plans to sue, he replied, “My lawyers will determine who is responsible—whether it’s the police, the magistrate, or those who wrote the petition.”
Afe Babalola confirmed he dropped the charges after appeals from former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah, and several Yoruba traditional rulers. However, Farotimi said he was not part of those efforts and was never consulted.
Farotimi highlighted that while he remains peaceful, he will not let the issue pass without legal redress.
