Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has said that Lagos lawyer and human rights activist, Dele Farotimi, is languishing in prison custody for persistently speaking truth to power.
Atiku also stated that it’s more troubling that Farotimi is
being detained and prosecuted under a law that does not even exist in Ekiti
State, where his alleged offence was said to have been committed.
The former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential
candidate stated this in a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
“@DeleFarotimi, a lawyer and tireless advocate for human
rights, now languishes in prison custody not for any crime but for the supposed
“crime” of persistently speaking truth to power.
“His only offense lies in his unflinching commitment to
exposing the truths that the government and its collaborators would rather
remain hidden. More troubling still is the fact that he is detained and
prosecuted under the guise of a law that does not even exist in Ekiti State.
“His plight serves as a poignant reflection of the pervasive
climate of impunity and the blatant violation of citizens’ rights that has
become all too common in Nigeria.
“Yet, perhaps the most alarming of all is the weaponization of
the cyberbullying law, which is being used as a tool to harass, intimidate, and
silence dissenting voices in the opposition and the press.
“On this solemn occasion of International Human Rights Day,
let us take a moment to remind our leaders at every level of government to
honour the oaths they have sworn to protect and uphold the constitutionally
enshrined rights of the people. Only through this commitment can we hope to
nurture and strengthen our democracy.”
The statement comes after the human rights lawyer was sent
back to jail.
The ruling on Farotimi’s bail application was on Tuesday
adjourned till December 20, 2024.
Recall that Farotimi was arrested in Lagos State by officers
of the Ekiti State Police Command.
His arrest followed a defamation lawsuit filed by Chief Afe
Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
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