The Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, has called on the Nigerian police to restore their integrity by immediately halting the prosecution of human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
Oba Oladipo Olaitan, the deputy leader of Afenifere, made this statement while addressing journalists in Lagos on Wednesday.
Olaitan argued that Farotimi’s arrest lacks legal justification and criticized the prolonged delay in granting him bail, suggesting that external influences, rather than legal grounds, might be driving the case. He emphasized that Farotimi is presumed innocent by law, and the burden of proof lies with the prosecution.
Afenifere also condemned the circumstances surrounding Farotimi’s arrest, describing it as an “abduction.” According to Olaitan, Farotimi was arrested in Lagos but was neither logged nor booked at any police station, a practice that he said causes unnecessary emotional distress to both the individual and their family.
The group further called on the police to cease the practice of detaining individuals without proper documentation or notifying their families, stressing that all arrests should be recorded at the nearest police station, and the arrested person should be allowed to contact their family or a lawyer.
