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Human rights lawyer and activist, Maduabuchi Idam, has criticized the Nigerian Police Force following the arrest of fellow legal practitioner, Dele Farotimi.
Farotimi was detained by officers from the Zone 2 Command in Lagos in connection with a defamation petition filed by Tony Elumelu, Chairman of the United Bank for Africa (UBA) Group.
The arrest came a day after Farotimi expressed concerns about alleged threats to his life from influential political figures. Reacting to the incident, Idam accused the police of prioritizing civil disputes over pressing security challenges.
In a strongly worded statement, Idam said:
“It is curious to find that the Nigeria Police is less busy even with the task of combating the myriads of security challenges wrestling with defenceless citizens of Nigeria.“The arrest of Mr. Dele Farotimi over an alleged libel which is an obvious civil wrong is rather a confirmation that the Nigeria police is unbothered with the security challenges in Nigeria.”
Idam argued that individuals aggrieved in civil matters, such as defamation, should seek redress in court rather than involving law enforcement. He cited multiple Supreme Court rulings that warn against the use of the police in civil disputes.
He further called on the Inspector General of Police to focus the force’s efforts on tackling crime and protecting lives and property, rather than being drawn into contractual disagreements or civil wrongs.
“The use of police in settlement of civil wrongs is not only primitive but antithetical to civility,” Idam concluded.
