High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in Abuja has issued an order prohibiting human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi from publishing, selling, circulating, advertising, or distributing his controversial book, titled ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.’
Gatekeepers News reports that the ruling was made by Justice Peter Kekemeke in response to an ex-parte application from Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm.
In addition to barring Farotimi from distributing the book in any form—whether hard copy, digital, online, or through social media—the court has ordered a temporary injunction affecting all agents, publishers, distributors, and sellers associated with the book. This injunction is in place pending the hearing of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction, which was filed on December 6, 2024.
Furthermore, the court ordered that all physical copies of the book be seized by various Nigerian security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force and the State Security Service, until the motion is resolved. The court has instructed these agencies to file an affidavit within 72 hours to confirm compliance with the seizure order.
In a related case, the Oyo State High Court also granted an interim order restricting Farotimi or anyone acting on his behalf from printing additional copies of the book. Justice Mufutau Adegbola issued this order after a senior partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm, Adebayo Adenipekun, submitted an ex parte application on December 9, 2024. Justice Adegbola directed that Farotimi’s legal representatives be notified, and the interlocutory injunction motion is set to be heard on January 7, 2025.
