By Shakirudeen Bankole
A lawyer and social critic, Dele Farotimi, has raised an alarm over an alleged threat to his life, and those of his workers and family members.
Speaking at a Press Conference on Monday in Lagos, Farotimi said he was being hounded with “state apparatuses” because of his stand against social injustice.
Farotimi was joined at the Press Conference by one of musician and social critic Charles Oputa, popularly know as Charly Boy; his pastor, Sam Aiyedogbon, the General Overseer of Realm of Glory International Churches and his lawyer, Raph Nwoke.
According to Farotimi, there was a bench warrant issued by an Ekiti State High Court to arrest him over a litigation that he was never served nor invited to the trial to defend himself.
He said the author of the said litigation is Nigeria’s celebrated nonagenarian, Chief Afe Babalola SAN, lawyer and founder of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti.
Farotimi said he suspected Babalola was reacting to his characterisation of his person in his recently launched book, titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.”
He alleged that instead of Chief Babalola to take him to court if his characterisation of him is deemed to be a crime, l he has instead retorted to using an unconventional method to haunt him and his loved ones.
Farotimi said his initial investigation revealed the involvement of the Office of the Minister of Justice and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. Lateef Fagbemi, and that of the Inspector General of Police, Dr Kayode Egbetokun, in the incident.
Farotimi explained the sequence of threats below:
” On Saturday, the 16th of November 2024, my friend, Pastor Sam Aiyedogbon of Realm of Glory International Churches, informed me that one of the pastors in his church, John Ntekume, had been abducted by the police, interrogated, and then returned to the church. He was coerced to write a statement along with another pastor, Obiorah Ochokwu.
“The police showed them a petition written by Chief Afe Babalola in Ekiti State, addressed to the Ekiti State Police Command and demanded that they lure me to the church to facilitate my arrest.
“The pastors informed the police that they had no means of doing so, as I am not a hidden person and do not have a direct relationship with them. They explained that I had preached at their church as a guest of their senior pastor and left. From their accounts, it became evident that the officers were from the Ekiti State Police. I found it perplexing that the police would attempt to lure me through such means.”
Farotimi said he did not deserve such treatment because he has always been a patriotic and law-abiding citizen of the country.
He said his moral standing was what inspires his longstanding advocacy for good governance and public accountability from the ruling class.
‘ However, I subsequently began receiving suspicious messages from individuals clearly attempting to lure me to certain locations where I feared I might be abducted, ” he said. ” It became evident that these individuals were operating outside standard procedures.
“I approached the Lagos State High Court, seeking enforcement and protection of my fundamental human rights against these unconventional tactics. I also alerted my associates and staff, urging them to exercise caution.
“To my dismay, the situation escalated when one of my domestic staff was targeted. These individuals contacted him, claiming to have a package for him at Evron Food Store on Chevron Drive, Lekki. Having been forewarned, he asked them to leave the package with the store’s security personnel. When their attempts to coerce the security guard into luring my staff failed, they arrested the guard, took him to Zone 2 Police Station, and questioned him about my home address and wife’s contact information. The security guard was released on bail later that evening,” he alleged.
“I must reiterate that I am a law-abiding citizen. I have consistently honoured every lawful invitation by the Nigeria Police Force. However, these recent developments – targeting my associates, tracking my phone, and harassing innocent individuals are deeply concerning. “”
Also speaking at the briefing, Pastor Ayedogbon said the lives of members of their congregation are in danger because of the unrelenting surveillance by the police.
He said it was totally unfair for the police, which is meant to protect the citizens, to be harassing the church and social advocates in the country.
“I was particularly shocked that the police did not come for me directly. That would have been more straightforward. We would have known that the police has officially unleashed terror on the church. And we would have been preparing. But arresting my men and trailing my church members is totally unfair, and concerning,” he said.
Chief Afe Babalola could not be reached at the time of filling this report. Neither were the offices of the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation or the Force PRO to get their reactions to the allegation.
