LAGOS, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — Nigerian activists and organizations have formed a coalition to support lawyer and activist Dele Farotimi in his legal battle against prominent legal luminary Afe Babalola, accusing the judicial system of systemic corruption.
In a statement Tuesday, coalition spokesman Malcolm Fabiyi said the group is united in its mission to ensure Farotimi receives justice. Members include Sahara Reporters publisher Omoyele Sowore, activists Rudolf Okonkwo, Chidi Odinkalu, Deji Adeyanju, and Fabiyi, who leads the Governance Advancement Initiative for Nigeria (GAIN).
“Everyone knows that the Nigerian judicial system is corrupt. The politicians say it. The people know it. Even judges have decried the corruption within the system,” Fabiyi said.
Farotimi, he said, is being targeted for exposing corruption by naming individuals and providing context.
“How is a man jailed in Ekiti for not attending court proceedings he was never notified about?” Fabiyi asked. “How does a man get charged with criminal libel, which legal scholars confirm does not exist in Ekiti state law? And how do police officers from Ekiti cross multiple states to arrest a citizen in Lagos unlawfully?”
Fabiyi called these actions a “train of illegalities,” saying they validate Farotimi’s accusations against the judicial system.
The coalition outlined a three-pronged strategy to support Farotimi.
“First, we are establishing a legal defense fund to ensure Dele Farotimi has the resources to robustly defend himself,” Fabiyi said. “Second, the coalition will coordinate global action to raise awareness of his case. Third, we are launching a whistleblowing initiative to encourage insiders with evidence of corruption in the judiciary to come forward.”
The initiative will include monetary rewards for whistleblowers and a secure platform for information sharing.
“For every act of corruption, there is someone who knows—clerks, court registrars, bank workers handling secret transfers,” Fabiyi said. “If the system thinks silencing Dele will scare Nigerians, they are mistaken. This could unleash a Pandora’s box of revelations.”
The coalition has scheduled an online meeting open to the public at 7 p.m. Nigerian time to discuss Farotimi’s case and broader judicial reform. Participants can join via the link https://bit.ly/Farotimi.
