A Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, has called for an unconditional release of lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi.
The activist, who is also a member of the National Caucus of Afenifere, was arrested by the police over a petition filed against him by Afe Babalola.
Mr Babalola had claimed he was defamed in the book written by Farotimi titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”.
Mr Farotimi was arraigned at the Chief Magistrate Court in Ekiti and later sent to a correctional facility.
The ruling on his bail application has been reserved until December 20..
But the Afenifere, in a press conference held at the residence of its leader, Ayo Adebanjo, in Lagos, claimed that the manner in which Mr Farotimi had been treated further confirmed most of the allegations he raised about the Nigerian judicial system in his publication.
The group noted while it was not talking about the merit or demerit of the case, the procedure and manner of the arrest of the activist was condemnable.
The deputy leader of the group, Oladipo Olaitan, who addressed the press conference, also expressed concern over the continued incarceration of Mr Farotimi over a bailable offence.
He also lampooned the chief magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, for denying Mr Farotimi bail, describing the charges as bailable.
“The cannot be unjustly incarcerated. His rights must be similarly protected.
“The delay in granting bail to Mr. Farotimi has confirmed the fears of well-meaning people all over the world that these processes are driven by extraneous considerations outside the facts and laws in respect of the petition on which the police and the Chief Magistrate in Ekiti are hinging their actions.
“Even as the burden of proof of the charge against Mr. Farotimi is on the prosecution, and as the accused person is presumed innocent by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) AFENIFERE charges the police to redeem its integrity by promptly terminate its prosecution of a matter for which the law does not empower it.
“Afenifere, therefore, calls for the immediate, unconditional release of Mr. Farotimi and for the investigation of the circumstances surrounding his abduction and travails in the hands of his abductors,” Mr Olaitan said.
“It is Dele Farotimi today; it could be you tomorrow,” the deputy leader added.
