Dele Farotimi Regains Freedom From Ekiti Prison

Human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, has been released from prison custody in Ekiti State after meeting his bail conditions.

The news of his release was confirmed by Sahara Reporters publisher and Take It Back Movement convener, Omoyele Sowore, in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

“I am pleased to report that Dele Farotimi is no longer being held at the prison yards in Ekiti State and is now returning home to Lagos. The struggle continues!” Sowore wrote.

Farotimi was arrested in Lagos on December 3 by officers of the Ekiti State Police Command.

The arrest followed allegations of defamation and character assassination leveled against him by Afe Babalola, a renowned legal luminary and founder of Afe Babalola University.

The allegations stemmed from claims made in Farotimi’s recently published book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, where he accused Babalola of corrupting the judiciary and influencing Supreme Court judgments.

On December 4, Farotimi was arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on a 16-count charge filed by the police.

He pleaded not guilty to the charges and was subsequently remanded in prison custody.

Last Friday, Presiding Magistrate Abayomi Adeosun granted the activist bail set at ₦30 million, with two sureties.

Additional bail conditions required Farotimi to surrender his international passport and refrain from granting media interviews—whether print or electronic—pending the determination of the substantive suit.

Farotimi’s release marks the latest chapter in a high-profile case that has drawn significant public attention, with many rights groups expressing concerns about the implications for freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary.

As the case progresses, all eyes remain on the Ekiti judiciary to ensure a fair and transparent legal process.