Legal battles for rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi, are intensifying, as multiple lawsuits and criminal charges threaten his freedom and reputation.

Just days after Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Chief Afe Babalola withdrew his cases against Farotimi, concerns have surfaced over other pending legal actions that could lead to significant financial penalties.

On December 6, 2024, renowned lawyer Kehinde Ogunwumiju filed a N500 million defamation lawsuit against Farotimi, accusing him of making defamatory statements in his book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.

Ogunwumiju is also seeking a court order to halt the book’s sale and distribution, demanding that Farotimi apologize in two national newspapers.

Adding to the legal woes, just five days later, Mr. Ola Faro, also from Afe Babalola & Co, initiated a similar defamation claim in the Rivers State High Court.

Faro argues that Farotimi’s book falsely implicated him, Babalola, and their firm in compromising the Supreme Court’s integrity. Faro has demanded N500 million in damages and another N100 million for the book’s distribution.

While the legal onslaught continues, there has been some relief for Farotimi.

Last week, following the intervention of the Ooni of Ife and other traditional rulers, the police prosecutor applied to withdraw cybercrime charges related to a petition from Babalola.

However, other charges remain, with a crucial defamation case scheduled for February 2025.

Farotimi was arrested on December 3, 2024, in Lagos after a warrant was issued for his detention by the Ekiti State Police Command.

According to DSP Abutu Sunday, the Police Public Relations Officer, “Mr. Dele Farotimi is currently undergoing investigation following a petition written against him for allegations of defamation of character and cyberbullying.”