Mr Femi Falana, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has demanded the release of Mr. Dele Farotimi, a human rights activist who was arrested in Lagos today for alleged criminal libel.
In demanding Mr. Farotimi’s unconditionally release from illegal custody, Falana stated,
“I wish to state, without any fear of contradiction, that Lagos State is among the two states in Nigeria that have decriminalised defamation in its entirety.
The current state of the law was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in the case of Aviomoh v Commissioner of Police & Anor. (2021) LPELR-55203(SC) when Helen Ogunwumiju JSC held that ‘Defamation was decriminalised in the Criminal Law of Lagos in 2011 and Edo State Criminal Law Bill 2020.’”