Prominent activist and legal practitioner Dele Farotimi has been granted bail by the Ekiti State High Court.
The court set stringent bail conditions, including a ₦50 million bond and a surety of the same amount, with the surety required to own landed property.
The case, which has drawn significant public attention, was adjourned to January 29, 2025, for further proceedings.
Farotimi’s legal troubles began after his arrest by operatives of the Ekiti State Police Command. His accuser, Chief Afe Babalola, a 95-year-old Senior Advocate of Nigeria, alleged defamation over Farotimi’s book Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.
The arrest triggered widespread condemnation, with civil society organizations and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) demanding Farotimi’s immediate release.
Critics have described the case as a threat to freedom of expression and the independence of the judiciary
