Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has claimed that the human rights activist and Lagos State-based lawyer, Dele Farotimi, is languishing in prison custody for persistently speaking truth to power.
Atiku who made this remark in a statement on his X handle on Tuesday said it’s more troubling that Farotimi is being detained and prosecuted under a law that does not even exist in Ekiti State, where his alleged offence was said to have been committed.
New Telegraph had earlier reported that Farotimi was arrested in Lagos State by officers of the Ekiti State Police Command.
His arrest followed a defamation lawsuit filed by Chief Afe Babalola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria.
The former Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, presidential candidate wrote, “@DeleFarotimi, a lawyer and tireless advocate for human rights, now languishes in prison custody not for any crime but for the supposed “crime” of persistently speaking truth to power.
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“His only offence lies in his unflinching commitment to exposing the truths that the government and its collaborators would rather remain hidden. More troubling still is the fact that he is detained and prosecuted under the guise of a law that does not even exist in Ekiti State.
“His plight serves as a poignant reflection of the pervasive climate of impunity and the blatant violation of citizens’ rights that has become all too common in Nigeria.
“Yet, perhaps the most alarming of all is the weaponization of the cyberbullying law, which is being used as a tool to harass, intimidate, and silence dissenting voices in the opposition and the press.
“On this solemn occasion of International Human Rights Day, let us take a moment to remind our leaders at every level of government to honour the oaths they have sworn to protect and uphold the constitutionally enshrined rights of the people. Only through this commitment can we hope to nurture and strengthen our democracy.”
The statement comes after the human rights lawyer was sent back to jail.
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