Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have reportedly arrested human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi’s arrest was disclosed by the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
Sowore called for the lawyer’s immediate release, stressing that the police should not be used to settle personal disputes.
Sowore wrote, “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.”
However, Punch Online made a phone call to the police spokesperson at the Zone 2 Command, SP Ummar Ayuba, who denied the arrest.
She simply said, “We did not make any arrest. He is not in our custody.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr. Adeniran Akinwale, informed (Punch Online) that the lawyer was arrested for various alleged offences.
The commissioner said the charges included “defamation of character, cyberstalking, and other things. But those two are fully established.”
“That was why we have been looking for him before we were able to arrest him.”
“We are investigating him. If the suspect is arrested, we will bring him for investigation. We will conduct our investigation and will be able to know his level of culpability or otherwise.”
Credit: The Punch
