Court Blocks Sale, Publication of Farotimi’s Book Over Defamation
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has issued an interim injunction, effectively banning Dele Farotimi, a Lagos-based lawyer, from further distributing his book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System” ¹. This means Farotimi, or anyone representing him, cannot publish, sell, circulate, advertise, or distribute physical or digital copies of the book until further notice.
Justice Peter Kekemeke granted the order after listening to the exparte application filed by the claimant, the managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kehinde Ogunwumiju.
The judge also temporarily restrained the agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, re-publishers, re-sellers, or any other person howsoever described, including Dele Farotimi Publishers, Amazon Online Bookstore, Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited from further publishing, selling, circulating, advertising, or distributing the physical/hard/digital/soft copies of the book online, electronically, physically or by any other means including social media.
The court’s order was granted pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction dated and filed on the 6th day of December 2024.
The court also granted an order of interim injunction directing the seizure of all physical copies of the book authored by the Defendant titled: “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System”, wherever they may be found, including at Dele Farotimi Publishers, Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited worldwide by the Nigerian Police Force, State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp and all other security agencies pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction dated and filed on the 6th day of December 2024.”
The Court further ordered that the relevant security agencies mentioned in the second relief should file an affidavit demonstrating that they have complied with the orders of the Court within 72 hours of their receipt of the order of Court.
In a similar development, an Oyo State High Court also granted an interim order restraining Farotimi or any person acting through him from further printing the book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System”.
Justice Mufutau Adegbola granted the interim order at the instance of a senior partner in the law firm of Afe Babalola, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adebayo Adenipekun who approached the court today via an exparte application dated Dec. 9th on behalf of the firm.
After listening to the senior advocate, Justice Adegbola granted the order in the interim and directed that the other side be put on notice.
The motion on notice for interlocutory injunction was then adjourned to January 7, 2025.
