The Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) has strongly condemned the arrest of Dele Farotimi, a human rights activist, on allegations of libel.
The group described the arrest as a gross misuse of police powers and a threat to democratic principles in Nigeria.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the YCW president, Aare Oladotun Hassan, criticized the “gestapo militarized manner” of Farotimi’s arrest, emphasizing that libel is not a criminal offense under Lagos State laws ¹.
The group argued that defamation should be addressed through civil courts, not through the weaponization of law enforcement.
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The YCW cited the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011, which repealed the criminalization of defamation, and the Supreme Court’s ruling in Aviomoh v. Commissioner of Police & Anor (2021), which affirmed that defamation is no longer a criminal offense in Lagos State.
The group demanded the immediate release of Farotimi and called on the Nigerian Police Force to exercise its powers responsibly and in accordance with the law. They also urged President Bola Tinubu to intervene and direct the Attorney General and Minister of Justice to take over the investigation.
The YCW emphasized that the police action reeks of abuse of power and raises concerns about the independence and professionalism of the police as a civil force.