Human rights lawyer Femi Falana has revealed that activist and legal practitioner Dele Farotimi was arrested in Lagos on Tuesday over allegations of criminal libel.
Falana has demanded Farotimi’s immediate and unconditional release, describing his detention as unlawful.
In a statement, Falana emphasized that Lagos State has decriminalized defamation under its laws, rendering the arrest baseless. He cited the Supreme Court decision in Aviomoh v. Commissioner of Police & Anor. (2021) LPELR-55203(SC), where Justice Helen Ogunwumiju affirmed that defamation had been removed from the realm of criminal offenses under the Criminal Law of Lagos in 2011.
Falana argued that Farotimi’s arrest disregards the current legal framework in Lagos, which no longer recognizes defamation as a criminal offense.
He reiterated his demand for the activist’s release, asserting that the arrest violates established legal principles.
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