Network of Civil Society Organizations of Nigeria (NOCSON) and Ijaw Youth Forum on Tuesday demanded the immediate release of Dr Dele Farotimi, a human rights activist and Lagos-based lawyer.
New Telegraph recalls that Farotimi was arrested by the Ekiti State Command of the Nigerian Police Force for alleged criminal defamation of Arae Afe Babalola.
He was taken to Ekiti State High Court on Monday, where he was granted bail for #50 million, with a surety in like some. But in a twist of events, he was also arraigned at an Ekiti Magistrate Court on Tuesday for cybercrime, where an earlier bail application was rejected for improper filling
Speaking at a rally to mark World Human Rights Day, the Secretary General of NOCSON, Comrade Ogbidi Emmanuel said the rally was to demand the immediate release of Dele Faromtimi, whom he said has a right to freedom of expression as enshrined in the Nigerian constitution.
Ogbidi also regretted the death of former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Kaduna Eboigbodin, who died two weeks ago over alleged harassment by the police.
He said, “It has come to our notice that the rights of Nigerians no longer matter, that many a times the rights of Nigerians are being trampled upon by institutions and men in charge of public institutions. Whether the judiciary, the police or other agencies, they no longer uphold the rights of Nigerians.
“Very recently in this state, we saw a very tragic incident, where we lost a very seasoned comrade, former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Edo State Chapter, Pa Kaduna Eboigbodin owing to the unprofessional conduct of the men of the Nigerian Police Force. As we speak, his rights were trampled upon which led to his death”.
“Today, we are beaming our searchlight on the judiciary, which has arrested a very senior comrade, Dele Farotimi. He was arrested for exercising his freedom of expression.
The Nigerian constitution is the highest law of the land, and it guarantees our freedom of expression and any other law is null and void. We are calling for the immediate and unconditional release of Dr Dele Farotimi.
Also, speaking, Comrade Gbale Joseph, the President of Ijaw Youth Forum said that to commemorate World Human Rights Day, the group is using the opportunity to go on a rally in solidarity with Comrade Dele Farotimi, who was arrested over alleged defamation of Arae Afe Babalola.
He said. “Today, we know is World Human Rights Day. We are using the opportunity to demand the immediate release of one of us who was arrested unjustly, we want the police to as a matter of urgency release him. We are putting an eye on the judiciary today because the judiciary is becoming a menace to the Nigerian State.
“The reason is that when the executive err, we look up to the judiciary, when the legislative arm of government err, we look up to the judiciary, but when the judiciary err, who do we look up to for justice? It has become like a burden to us”.
We are calling on NJC to know that there is procurement of judgment by the elite, especially the political elite using the judiciary as a means to suffocate the poor man and shut down dissenting voices.
“What we get from our courts today is judgment and not justice. We are calling on the judiciary to wake up. We want the international community to place visa barn on corrupt judges so that we can all enjoy the proceed of corruption together.”
On his part, the Spiritual Leader of Talakawa Parliament, Marxist, Kola Edokpai said enough of the human rights violations perpetuated by Nigeria security agencies. He demanded the immediate release of Dele Farotimi.
“We are here to say enough of human rights violations in this country, using the case of Comrade Dele Farotimi as a classical example, seeing the way he was arrested.
“We saw how the police from Ekiti State command came to Lagos to arrest him in a commando style and took him to Ekiti for arraignment for criminal defamation.”
