Operatives of the Nigerian Police Force have reportedly arrested human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi’s arrest was revealed by the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, in a post on his X handle on Tuesday.
Sowore called for the lawyer’s immediate release, emphasizing that the police should not be used to settle personal disputes.
Sowore wrote, “It is pertinent that the Nigerian police are notified that the institution cannot continue to be used to settle personal scores, and we, the citizens of Nigeria, would no longer tolerate such a situation.
“Therefore, the police at Zone 2 in Lagos are advised to release Barrister Dele Farotimi immediately.”
However, a phone call was made to the police spokesperson at the Zone 2 Command, SP Ummar Ayuba, who refuted the arrest claim.
She simply said, “We did not make any arrests. He is not in our custody.”
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police in Ekiti State, Mr Adeniran Akinwale, revealed that the lawyer was arrested for various alleged offenses.
The commissioner said that the offenses committed included “defamation of character, cyberstalking, and other things. But those two are fully established.
“That was why we have been looking for him before we were able to arrest him.
“We are investigating him. If the suspect is arrested, we will bring him for investigation. We will conduct our investigation and will be able to know his level of culpability or otherwise.”