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IGP Files 13 New Charges Against Dele Farotimi
The police have filed 13 new counts of criminal defamation against activist Dele Farotimi, accusing him of holding a press conference online where he detailed a plot to arrest him. The charges were filed on Friday, according to documents seen by Peoples Gazette.
The police stated that the December 2, 2024, press briefing on YouTube was an attempt to bully and defame Afe Babalola, a senior lawyer who had Farotimi arrested on Tuesday and remanded in prison following an initial arraignment on Wednesday.
These new charges represent the latest escalation in a case that has caused division within legal circles nationwide. It appears that Babalola is unwilling to back down, despite concerns that his actions could damage his legacy and are seen as an attack on free speech.
During the press conference, Farotimi detailed how Babalola was targeting him over his book, released in July 2024, which alleges that Babalola engaged in judicial corruption over several decades. Babalola has denied all allegations of bribing judges and corruption.
Babalola’s decision to involve the police, who are often seen as being used by the powerful against ordinary citizens, has drawn significant criticism. Many Nigerians view the 95-year-old’s actions as oppressive and have increased pressure both domestically and internationally for him to cease his pursuit of Farotimi.
Farotimi was arrested in Lagos on Tuesday and transported to Ekiti. The police initially charged him with 16 counts of criminal defamation on Wednesday, with a bail hearing scheduled for December 6.
On Friday, Peoples Gazette received court documents indicating 13 new charges against Farotimi, accusing him of disparaging Babalola during a podcast appearance with journalist Seun Okinbaloye and on his own YouTube channel.
The criminal complaint, marked FHC/AD/CR/104/2024, was addressed to Farotimi, but it was unclear whether he had been served as of Friday afternoon.
IN THE FEDERAL HIGH COURT OF NIGERIA
IN THE ADO-EKITI JUDICIAL DIVISION
HOLDEN AT ADO-EKITI
Charge No. FFC/AD/OR/104/2024
INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE COMPLAINANT
VS DEFENDANT
DELE FAROTIMI “56 YEARS”
CHARGE
That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 28th August 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USuxBfZCOA) in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” wherein you stated in the interview that: “Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary” which you know to be false information for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.
COUNT II: That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 28th August 2024 knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your Youtube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USuxBfZCQA) in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” wherein you stated in the interview that “Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the judiciary” with the intention of bullying and harassing the named persons thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24 (a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act 2015 as amended.
COUNT III: That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ on 2nd December, 2024 intentionally sent a message in the course of a press conference held on Online on your YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0k6HzdQXLEk) where you stated that: “It came to my knowledge that there is a charge preferred before a court in Ekiti State against me at the instance of Chief Afe Babalola. This Charge has been fraudulently preferred, hidden from view and the court had purportedly demanded my presence multiple times, and I failed to appear before the court, and this Court had then proceeded to issue a bench warrant for my arrest.
This is classic Afe Babalola. I detailed his corruptive influence in my book titled: Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, which you know to contain false information for the purpose of causing breakdown of law and order, thereby committing an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(1)(b) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 as amended.
COUNT IV: That you, Dele Farotimi ‘m’, on 2nd December 2024, intentionally sent a message in the course of a press conference held online on your YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ok6HzdQXLEk) where you stated that:
“It came to my knowledge that there is a charge preferred before a court in Ekiti State against me at the instance of Chief Afe Babalola. This charge has been fraudulently preferred, hidden from view, and the court had purportedly demanded my presence multiple times, and I failed to appear before the court, and this Court had then proceeded to issue a bench warrant for my arrest. This is classic Afe Babalola. I detailed his corruptive influence in my book titled: Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.”
With the intention of bullying and harassing the named persons, you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 as amended.
COUNT V: That you, Dele Farotimi ‘m’, on 28th August 2024, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USuxBfZCQA) in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, wherein you stated in the interview that:
“If Aare Afe Babalola is the only person licensed to enjoy that level of impunity, that is different.”
With the intention of bullying and harassing the named persons, you thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 24(a) of Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 as amended.
COUNT VI: That you, Dele Farotimi ‘m’, on 28th August 2024, knowingly and intentionally transmitted communication in an online interview on Mic On Podcast by Seun Okinbaloye on your YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4USuxBfZCQA) in respect of a book authored and published by you titled: Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System, wherein you stated that:
“And in corrupting the judiciary…
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, has announced that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, won all the local government and councillorship positions in the just concluded local government elections in the state.
The Chairman of the Commission, Hashim Abioye, made this announcement via a Facebook Live broadcast on Saturday evening.
Abioye stated that PDP candidates secured all the councillorship seats in all 332 wards in the state, as well as the chairmanship elections in all 30 local government council areas.
The names of the PDP chairmanship candidates and their respective local government council areas:
Babalola Wasiu Kayode – Boripe
Okunade Oluwafemi Adesanya – Egbedore
Adeyenuwo Rotimi John – Ife Central
Agboola Francis Olajire – Obokun
Azeez Lateef Adeniran – Isokan
Aina Abayomi Adesina – Boluwaduro
Sodiq Samuel Oluwapelumi – Ola Oluwa
Ajibade Oluwatoyin S. – Irepodun
Adebanjo Oladiti Tunmininu – Ilesa West
Ibironke Alade Adegboye – Atakumosa East
Aroke Muyiwa Aderemi – Ife South
Kolade Obafemi Kolawole – Olorunda
Moshood Adekunle Kabiru – Iwo
Awotunde Abiodun Sarafadeen – Ifelodun
Akande Taiwo Adekunle – Osogbo
Dada Feyisayo Ajibola – Atakumosa West
Amodu Taiwo – Ede North
Atolagbe Kayode Olayinka – Ifedayo
Akande Michael O. – Ife North
Adeyekun Taiwo Adebayo – Oriade
Adeniran Adenike Felicia – Ayedaade
Afolabi Oyekola Lukman – Ede South
Odunyemi Haruna Bukola – Ife East
Jooda Ambali Babajide – Irewole
Adewale Adeyinka Oluwaseun – Odo Otin
Ogunbiyi Solomon Akinyemi – Ayedire
Raimi Adenike Nafisat – Ejigbo
Adebisi Jayeola Nasir – Ila
Ilesanmi Taiwo Sunday – Ilesa East
Alade Aderemi Fatai – Orolu
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The Department of State Services (DSS) has arrested three persons linked to the alleged assault on its officers during the crisis that rocked the Lagos State House of Assembly, following the removal Mudashiru Obasa, as Speaker
Apparently sensing danger, some lawmakers had mobilized their supporters to the Assembly Complex, but these supporters allegedly attacked some DSS officers who were invited by the Assembly leadership to secure the facility. Security sources revealed that “after extensive analysis of CCTV footage, we were able to clearly identify three of the suspects”.
“The suspects, Ibrahim Olanrewaju Abdulkareem, a photographer and two others attached to the Assembly’s Seargent at Arms, Adetu Adekunle Samsudeen and Adetola Oluwatosin Fatimoh, a lady, were consequently tracked and arrested during the week in different parts of Lagos,” The trio have since confessed to the crime and will soon be charged to court, the source said.
It would be recalled that the Lagos Assembly had in a leaked memo dated 14th February, 2025 and addressed to the DSS Director in the State, and Heads of other Security Agencies in Lagos State, told the Security Agencies in Lagos that, there was credible information to the effect that, Obasa had planned to forcefully reinstate himself today, February 18, 2025.
Accordingly, the Assembly management, held the view that, the development posed “a potential security threat” to it and its members.
By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
The chairman of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), Hashim Abioye, has claimed that the police have sealed off the headquarters in Osogbo.
In a video post on the OSSIEC X handle, Abioye accused the police of also arresting election officials and blocking journalists from covering the local government election.
According to him, several OSSIEC officials were detained while on their way to polling units on Saturday.
Attempts by our correspondent to reach Abioye for further details proved abortive as his telephone line was switched off.
The OSSIEC chair, in the post, assured voters that materials had been deployed to affected areas.
So far so good, the reports have been positive and the conduct has been very smooth and peaceful as against the false alarm raised by the police. Everywhere is calm,” Abioye said.
“The only thing is that in some of the areas in which materials are supposed to have arrived for voters to cast their votes, we had reports of police arresting our officials.
“I don’t know on whose order because there is no court order that warranted the arrest of officers of our officials.
“As it is, we have deployed materials to those units because we have enough on the ground.
For our people in the media community, I want to apologise for the inadequacy of the tags and the jackets because we have enough but the police sealed our office and that was not warranted at all.”
Abioye’s comments come after police had called for the local government election to be called off by the state government, citing a security threat.
In a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, on Friday, the Police said it received credible intelligence indicating a likelihood of violence and significant security threats should the planned elections proceed.
The police explained that reports gathered from joint intelligence gathering revealed that various groups, including political elements and other interested parties, are mobilising to instigate unrest, disrupt public peace and undermine the democratic order.
However, the Osun State government acknowledged the police’s advice but insisted on going on with the election.
Channels Television reports that the election eventually went on as scheduled on Saturday.
BREAKING: Jubilation As PDP Wins All 30 LGs In Osun State(See winners)
DSS arrests three for assaulting operatives during LSHA crisis
Police seal OSSIEC office, officials nabbed, says chairman
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