Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has strongly condemned the arrest and detention of human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Atiku described the arrest as a grim reminder of Nigeria’s dark days of military dictatorship, where dissent was crushed.
According to Atiku, Farotimi’s arrest on charges of defamation is an attempt to suppress alternative views.
He emphasized that defamation is not a criminal offense that warrants police involvement, describing it as “using a sledgehammer to swat a fly”.
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Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of pursuing an “insidious agenda” to intimidate critics and silence opposing voices. He warned that such actions are eroding democratic principles and fostering a one-party state.
The former Vice President called for Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release, stressing that freedom of speech and association are constitutionally enshrined rights. Atiku shared his personal experience of being defamed in 2019, stating that he took the case to court instead of involving the police.
Farotimi’s arrest has sparked widespread outrage among activists, civil society groups, and opposition leaders, who view the action as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Nigeria