Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi has been reportedly arrested by operatives of the Nigerian Police Force following allegations of defaming the Chief Executive Officer of the United Bank for Africa (UBA), Tony Elumelu.
The arrest was disclosed by Omoyele Sowore, the 2023 presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), in a post on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday.
According to Sowore, the arrest was initiated after Elumelu filed a petition accusing Farotimi of defamation.
He condemned the development, describing it as an attempt to use law enforcement agencies to settle personal disputes.
Sowore called for the immediate release of Farotimi, arguing that the police should remain impartial and avoid being tools for intimidation in civil matters.
As of the time of this report, neither the Nigerian Police Force nor representatives of Tony Elumelu have issued official statements regarding the arrest or the specific allegations.
The incident has ignited debates on social media about the growing concern over the abuse of law enforcement agencies in private disputes.
