by Lorah Alfred
The Take It Back Movement has indicated it would go ahead with its planned protest in Ekiti to demand the release of human rights activist, lawyer and author of Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, Dele Farotimi.
This is in defiance of Ekiti State Police Command’s ban of unlawful gatherings, demonstrations, and the sale and use of fireworks across the state, citing concerns over public safety and security threats.
The Ekiti State Police Command, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Abutu Sunday, on Friday, said, “Any form of unlawful gathering, demonstration, or protest is unacceptable,” adding that intelligence reports indicated plans by some individuals to exploit protests to incite violence and create panic.
But the Take It Back Movement has insisted the planned rally would hold. The movement also plans to hold protests in Lagos, Abuja, London and Canada.
A flyer posted on its official X handle on Sunday, titled ‘Nationwide/Global Protest Against The Nigerian Judiciary’, indicated that the protest would hold on Tuesday, December 10, 2024, at the Police Headquarters, Ado Ekiti, at 7:00am. The flyer stated boldly: “Nigerians refuse to be silenced.”
A separate post by Take It Back Movement showed a one-minute video where activist and politician, Omoyele Sowore, reiterated that the protest would go on.
“An unjust act of oppression cannot stand no matter how ‘well presented’ that it was done under the colour of law!” Sowore said in the video.
“On December 10, 2024, in Lagos, Abuja, Ado-Ekiti, Benin City, Toronto, and the city of London, the people intoxicated by power will be confronted by the power of the people!” he said.
Farotimi was arrested in Lagos last week Tuesday and bundled to Ekiti, where he was arraigned before a Magistrates Court on charges that he defamed a legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), 95-year-old Aare Afe Babalola, in his book. He pleaded not guilty to the 16-count charge but the magistrate remanded him in custody till December 10.
Farotimi’s arrest and remand quickly sparked outrage, with many individuals and organisations calling for his immediate release. At the same time, search for his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, spiked on Amazon, which listed it as number one Bestseller worldwide. Roving Heights, a bookstore in Lagos, reported that its site crashed following unusual traffic from those searching for the book.
Meanwhile, the police have also filed fresh charges against Farotimi at a Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti bordering on cybercrime allegations picked from the activist’s online interviews. The police said Farotimi appeared on journalist Seun Okinbaloye’s Mic On Podcast where he accused Babalola of corrupting the judiciary.
