Kehinde Fajobi
Human rights activist Dele Farotimi emotionally recounted the outpouring of support from Nigerians that he believes played a key role in securing his release.
Speaking via YouTube and in a video circulated on X, Farotimi attributed his freedom to the collective voice of Nigerians who stood by him during his ordeal.
“We stopped being human because we became Nigerians. They divided us, and we fell for it. Because you wouldn’t see me as a Yoruba man, you spoke for me. Because you wouldn’t see me as a Christian, you spoke for me. Nigeria couldn’t happen to me because you spoke,” Farotimi said.
He continued, highlighting the strength of unity in the face of oppression. “You found your voices. I became you. And in our collective, you couldn’t be silenced,” he added.
Farotimi’s release followed his December 3 arrest by Ekiti State Police, who charged him with defamation and cyberbullying.
The charges arose from allegations made by prominent lawyer Aare Afe Babalola, who accused Farotimi of defaming him in his book Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The book claimed that Babalola and other Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) had corruptly influenced Supreme Court Justices.
After his arrest, Farotimi was arraigned in an Ekiti Magistrate Court and later faced additional charges at the Ekiti Federal High Court on December 6.
On December 21, the magistrate granted him bail under stringent conditions, including a ₦30 million bond and a prohibition on media interviews post-release.
Speaking to journalists after his release, Farotimi maintained his innocence. “It is not ever an easy journey when you are fighting evil. Some years back, before I started this work, God told me that the truth is enough. It is the only weapon with which you can slay the monster called Nigeria,” he remarked.
Farotimi reaffirmed his stance, saying, “In my war against the evil empire that we all live in, I have never lied against anyone. If I don’t know, I will say I don’t know.”