The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has ordered an order of interim injunction, restraining the further sale and publication of Lawyer and human rights activist, Dele Farotimi’s book titled “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”.
The court granted the order pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction dated and filed on Friday, December 6, 2024.
Justice Peter Kekemeke granting the order after listening to the exparte application filed by the claimant, the managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, said: “The order temporarily restrains the agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, re-publishers, re-sellers, or any other person howsoever described, including Dele Farotimi Publishers, Amazon Online Bookstore, Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited from further publishing, selling, circulating, advertising, or distributing the physical/hard/digital/soft copies of the book online, electronically, physically or by any other means including social media.”
In a related development, an Oyo State High Court also granted an interim order restraining Farotimi or any person acting through him from further printing the book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”.
“Justice Mufutau Adegbola granted the interim order at the instance of a senior partner in the law firm ofe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adebayo Adenipekun who approached the court today via an exparte application dated December 9th on behalf of the firm,” the report read.
After listening to the senior advocate, Justice Adegbola granted the order in the interim and directed that the other side be put on notice after which the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction was then adjourned to January 7, 2025.
The Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State, had earlier this week granted the embattled lawyer and human rights activist bail in the sum of N50 million.
The court’s decision was announced by Omoyele Sowore, presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) in the 2023 election, via his X handle on Monday.
Sowore wrote, “The first hurdle was crossed. #DeleFarotimi was granted bail of N50 million with a surety in like sum, with someone holding landed property. The case has been adjourned to January 29, 2025.”
In a separate tweet, Sowore called Farotimi’s trial “farcical,” adding that the case would continue the next day at the Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, despite being based on a non-existent offense under Ekiti law.
He also urged the Attorney-General of Ekiti State to discontinue the trial immediately.
Farotimi was remanded in prison custody on December 7, 2024, after being arrested on 16 counts of criminal defamation, following the publication of his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The book allegedly defamed Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Aare Babalola, accusing him of corruption in a long-standing land dispute case.
Farotimi’s arrest led to protests organized by the Take It Back Movement, which plans demonstrations in Ekiti, Lagos, Abuja, London, and Canada.
Despite a ban on public gatherings in Ekiti, the movement has insisted on proceeding with their planned actions, claiming the police have no legal authority to prevent peaceful protests.
Babalola’s legal team has stated that Farotimi will only regain his freedom if he can substantiate his allegations against the respected elder statesman.
