Afe Babalola, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), on Friday, broke his silence on the controversy surrounding his decision to take legal action against Dele Farotimi, a human rights advocate.
In a statement released by his law firm and signed by Adebayo Adenipekun, a senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Afe Babalola & Co., the legal luminary explained that he took the action to address the “falsity of his allegations and hold him accountable for his actions.”
Farotimi was arrested by operatives from the police command in Ekiti on Tuesday in Lagos over a petition about alleged defamation and cyberbullying. He was subsequently arraigned before the Ekiti state magistrate court in Ado-Ekiti on Wednesday on a 16-count charge. Farotimi pleaded not guilty to all the charges.
Babalola’s law firm stated that the decision to take legal action against Farotimi was not taken lightly. “We acknowledge several concerns and suggestions on this subject and the inference that the firm and its members would be better served by ignoring these published falsehoods,” the statement reads.
“However, if we do not take any action to correct the false, reckless, and malicious statements by this author, our silence will necessarily be interpreted as an admission of guilt.”
The law firm also emphasized that Afe Babalola & Co. is a law-abiding organization that operates strictly within the law. “We are aware of the implications of the steps we are taking and the possibility of spin and manipulation by this author, his acolytes, uninformed members of the public, and others who, like him, view us maliciously.”
In response to the backlash on social media, Babalola’s law firm stated that no amount of street yelling and media tactics would stop the prosecution of Farotimi. “Since the matter is sub judice, we do not intend to join issues in the media on the merits of our complaints or the strength of evidence against Mr. Farotimi.”
The controversy has sparked a heated debate on social media, with many calling for Farotimi’s release. However, Babalola’s law firm remains resolute in its decision to pursue the case. “Unlike him, we believe in the justice delivery system every time—not only when it favours us. In six decades of litigating cases across Nigeria, we have encountered several lawyers who prevailed against us in court.”
In a separate statement, Babalola himself explained the circumstances surrounding the case. He stated that Farotimi had made defamatory remarks against him in his book, “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”. Babalola claimed that the remarks were “too huge and destructive, such that they cannot be remedied by any award of damages.”
The case has sparked a national conversation about the limits of free speech and the role of the judiciary in protecting individual rights.