Obidient Movement Threatens Nationwide Protests Over Farotimi’s Arrest

The Obidient Movement has threatened to embark on nationwide protest if a human rights lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, is not released with immediate effect.

A Magistrate Court in Ado Ekiti ordered that Farotimi be remanded following allegations of defaming a prominent legal figure and founder of Afe Babalola University, Aare Afe Babalola, SAN.

The activist is accused of damaging the reputation of Afe Babalola through statements made in his recently released book, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.’

In a statement on Wednesday, the National Coordinator of the Obidient Movement, Dr Yunusa Tanko called for the immediate and unconditional release of the lawyer.

Tanko added that Farotimi’s arrest and detention raise serious questions about the misuse of power and the suppression of freedom of speech in Nigeria.

The statement read, “This government inflicted pain on the Nigerian people by increasing the cost of fuel prices with impunity from #165 to # 1,100k and above depending on ones location, thereby increasing the cost of food items and other essential commodities directly linked to purchase of Premium motor spirit with absolutely nothing to show for it.

“Now people can no longer afford a square meal in a day not to talk of 3 square meals in their houses, Civil Servants are impoverished, the Nigeria people are living in total hunger with poverty increasing beyond measures.

“The Nigerian people are making frantic efforts to survive with no certainty of what tomorrow brings.

“In addition, they floated the Naira, increased the exchange rate of Naira to Dollar from the rate of one dollar to one thousand eight hundred naira as the case may be which has trickle down effect in all purchases and consumption without being creative in trying to revamp, revive our industries, support Agriculture and boost the Economy.

“Businesses are collapsing due to cost of running them, start up funds for SMEs are high with interest rate raised to 27.5%….where does this Administration wants the common man to face? Insecurity has skyrocketted due to hunger, malnutrition, our health sector is in total shambles to mention but a few.