Renowned human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has called on the Nigerian police to release lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, from its illegal custody.
In a release obtained by SaharaReporters, Falana declared that “without any fear of contradiction, Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalised defamation in its entirety.”
SaharaReporters had earlier reported that Farotimi had been taken to Ekiti State by the police officers who arrested him, following a raid on his residence in Lagos State.
It was gathered that the arrest, conducted based on a petition by legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), was over the allegations of cybercrime.
SaharaReporters had learnt that after Farotimi’s arrest in Lagos, the Nigerian police drove him to Ekiti State by road.
Speaking in the statement, Falana said, “I just confirmed that Mr. Dele Farotimi was arrested in Lagos today (Tuesday) for alleged criminal libel.
“In demanding for Mr. Farotimi’s unconditionally release from illegal custody, I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalised defamation in its entirety.
“In fact, the current state of the law was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Aviomoh v Commissioner of Police & Anor. (2021) LPELR-55203(SC) when Helen Ogunwumiju JSC held that “Defamation was decriminalized in the Criminal Law of Lagos in 2011 and Edo State Criminal Law Bill 2020.”
