Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi has been reportedly arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Police Force following allegations of defamation leveled against him by Tony Elumelu, the Chief Executive Officer of United Bank for Africa (UBA).
The news of Farotimi’s arrest was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), through a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.
According to Sowore, Elumelu filed a petition accusing Farotimi of defamation, prompting the police to act. Sowore, however, condemned the arrest, urging the authorities to release the lawyer immediately. He argued that the police should not be used as a tool for settling personal disputes.
“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 wrote.
He further stated, “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.”
At the time of filing this report, there has been no official statement from the police or representatives of Elumelu regarding the matter. The arrest has sparked widespread reactions, with many Nigerians raising concerns over the use of law enforcement in private disputes.
