The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order to stop the sale and distribution of a book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System by human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi. The court also ordered that any money made from the book’s sales should be seized.
The book, which accuses renowned legal figure Afe Babalola, SAN, of influencing the judiciary for favorable outcomes, has sparked controversy.
On December 3, armed police officers arrested Farotimi in Lagos and transferred him to Ekiti State. The next day, he was charged with criminal defamation in Ado-Ekiti, based on allegations made in his book.
Following this, Afe Babalola’s legal team, led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, filed a lawsuit to halt the book’s distribution. The court granted an interlocutory injunction, banning the sale of both physical and digital copies. It also directed that all existing copies be confiscated.
The injunction stated:
“An order restraining the defendant or anyone acting on his behalf from publishing, selling, or distributing the book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, online or in stores. An order directing the seizure of all copies wherever they may be.”
Since the ruling, bookstores have stopped selling the book. A source told Sahara Reporters that when he requested copies at an Abuja bookstore, he was informed they had ceased sales due to the court injunction.
