Afe Babalola agrees to withdraw suit against Farotimi

Afe Babalola, the senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), says he will withdraw the defamation suit filed against Dele Farotimi, a human rights advocate.

In December, the Nigerian police arrested Farotimi in Lagos and transported him to Ekiti. The Ekiti state magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti remanded him for 21 days, charging him with “criminally defaming” Babalola in his book ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’. Farotimi regained freedom on December 24 after posting a N30 million bail.

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Babalola announced his decision to withdraw the case at the Afe Babalola University (ABUAD) following a midnight meeting with the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, and other first-class traditional rulers. Ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo, Bishop Matthew Kukah of Sokoto diocese, and other prominent Nigerians had also reached out to Babalola through letters and calls.

“I have nothing to gain from Farotimi’s imprisonment,” Babalola stated, promising to instruct his lawyers to drop the case.

Also, the Ooni of Ife said that Yoruba leaders and traditional institutions had closely monitored the situation. He and others stepped in to ask Babalola to “pardon his son, Farotimi.” The Ooni praised Babalola’s integrity and encouraged him to maintain his principles.