By Emmanuel Nduka
A coalition of Nigerians in the diaspora has threatened to bring serious public embarrassment to the administration of President Bola Tinubu over the arrest and remand of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, by Afe Babalola (SAN), Founder of Afe Babalola University.
The Nigerian media space was flooded on Tuesday with news of Farotimi’s arrest at his chamber in Lagos State by officers from the Ekiti State Police Command, acting on a petition filed by Afe Babalola, who has since faced heavy criticism for alleged abuse of power.
Farotimi was arraigned for allegedly publishing a book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, in which Afe Babalola claimed to have been defamed by allegations that he corrupted the Nigerian judiciary and procured judgments in the Supreme Court. Babalola stated that the book’s contents exposed him to hatred, contempt, and ridicule, damaging his hard-earned career.
Global pressure is now mounting on President Tinubu, as Nigerians in the United States, Europe, and other parts of the world are planning to stage protests aimed at embarrassing Tinubu internationally.
Heritage Times (HT) reports that this latest threat could damage the integrity and public image of President Tinubu, who has been making numerous foreign trips to build diplomatic ties and attract foreign investments into the country.
HT gathered that many Nigerians in the diaspora, some of whom have children and relatives at Afe Babalola University, have now threatened to withdraw them from the institution. The diaspora community has also resolved to petition global donor organizations known to provide funding support for the university.
More international pressure is looming. Earlier on Tuesday, King’s College London came under intense global scrutiny, with calls to cancel its Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education, named after Afe Babalola, and return his donation to the institution. Set up in 2023, the Afe Babalola Centre allows King’s College London and its network of partners to provide young Africans with educational opportunities.
According to sources familiar with the plans, King’s College London has contacted Amnesty International, a global human rights organization, seeking advice on how to handle the situation.
“Afe Babalola donated £10 million to establish the center. Now, King’s College is responding to public pressure from Nigerians worldwide to cancel the Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education, following his involvement in the arrest of Dele Farotimi.
“The College is in a state of panic over the scandal. It has reached out to Amnesty International for guidance on what steps to take. There is growing international pressure to cancel the center and return Babalola’s donation. Human rights groups, international writers, and Nigerians in the diaspora are all calling for action,” one source explained.
Earlier on Wednesday, Amnesty International joined the call for Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release, expressing concern that under the custody of the Nigerian Police, there is little hope of fair treatment and no transparency. The organization noted that police interrogation centers across the country are notorious for possible human rights violations.
In a statement issued on its social media account, Amnesty International warned that the Tinubu-led Nigerian government must end its escalating clampdown on dissenting voices and allow citizens to freely exercise their fundamental rights as guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution and international law.
Heritage Times HT reports that the charge filed by Afe Babalola, in suit no: MAD/1,476.C/2024, pits the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police as the complainant against Farotimi as the defendant.
Some of the charges read: “That you, Dele Farotimi, in 2024, authored, published, and circulated your book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which was received and read worldwide, including in Ado-Ekiti, within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District, wherein you stated on page IX: ‘That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his clients,’ which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or disturb the public peace, knowing or having reason to believe that the statement is false, and thereby committed an offense contrary to and punishable under Section 59(1) of the Criminal Code Act.”
“That you, Dele Farotimi, in 2024, authored, published, and circulated your book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which was received and read worldwide, including in Ado-Ekiti, wherein you alleged on page X that Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro, and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got that Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self-abnegation, which statement you knew was false and likely to damage the reputation of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb, LL.D., Olu Daramola, SAN, FCIArb, Mr. Ola Faro, and the law firm of Afe Babalola & Co by exposing them to hatred, contempt, ridicule, and damaging their professional reputation, and thereby committed an offense contrary to Section 373 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under Section 375 of the Criminal Code Act.”
“That you, Dele Farotimi, in 2024, authored, published, and circulated your book titled Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, which was received and read worldwide, including in Ado-Ekiti, within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District, wherein you criminally defamed the person of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb on pages 10-11 of the said book.”
Meanwhile, the court has denied bail to Farotimi and adjourned further hearings on the matter until December 10, 2024.
In Nigeria, defamation is mostly considered a civil offense, but may also be a criminal offense, as the law protects individuals from being falsely attacked in a manner that harms their reputation, if the alleged statement is proven to be actually defamatory.
