By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Human rights activist Dele Farotimi has expressed his appreciation to Nigerians for their collective support during his detention over allegations of defamation.
Farotimi was arrested on December 3 at his Lagos office by police officers from Ekiti Command and transported to Ekiti, where he faced charges stemming from allegations of defaming Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Afe Babalola, in his book Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
After being held in custody for over three weeks, Farotimi regained his freedom on December 24 upon meeting stringent bail conditions. These included a ₦30 million bond, two sureties (one a property owner), surrendering his passport, and agreeing not to grant media interviews post-release.
Announcing his release, former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore wrote, “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.”
In a live session following his release, Farotimi reflected on the overwhelming support he received from Nigerians.
“We stop being humans because we became Nigerians. Nigerians overlooked my ethnicity, my religion, and spoke for me,” he said.
He further remarked, “Nigeria couldn’t happen to me because people spoke for me,” attributing his release to the solidarity and advocacy shown by citizens across diverse backgrounds.
Watch Video:
Video: 'You spoke for me,' Farotimi breaks down in tears, appreciate Nigerians pic.twitter.com/HlNECszuHQ
— Vanguard Newspapers (@vanguardngrnews) December 29, 2024