- Federal High Court has ordered the suspension of sales and distribution of "Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System" by Dele Farotimi
- The book's allegations of judicial manipulation, particularly targeting Afe Babalola, have led to a high-profile legal battle
- Critics of the injunction argued it represented an attack on free speech and suppresses accountability in the Nigerian judiciary
The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order halting the production and distribution of Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, a book authored by embattled human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi.
The book, which has sparked heated debates due to its controversial allegations of judicial manipulation, was recently ranked as a global bestseller in the politics category on Amazon.
The order, sought by prominent legal figure Afe Babalola, demands the cessation of both physical and digital sales and distribution of the book.
Additionally, the court's injunction includes a directive to seize royalties generated from the book's sales.
The application, filed under suit number CV/5372/24 by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, the head of Afe Babalola’s law firm, was dated December 6, 2024. The court granted an interlocutory injunction, restraining Farotimi and all parties associated with the book from further distribution.
This includes publishers, distributors, sellers, and various bookstores such as Amazon Online Bookstore, Rovingheights Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore, and Patabah Books Limited.
The injunction reads: “An order of interlocutory injunction restraining the defendant/respondent, whether acting by himself, his staff, employees, servants, privies, representatives, agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, re-publishers, re-sellers, or any other person however described including 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 authored by the defendant/respondent titled: ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’, online.”
The book accuses Afe Babalola of manipulating the judiciary to secure favorable rulings for his clients. These allegations have caused a stir, bringing Babalola, a respected legal icon, into the public eye.
The legal move to block the book's distribution comes amidst its global rise in popularity, with the book already a best seller on Amazon.
76 protesters charged to court in Abuja
Meanwhile, TheRadar earlier reported that 76 protesters from the #EndBadGovernance movement were arraigned in Abuja, with many exhibiting signs of severe malnutrition.
The protesters, who were arrested during nationwide demonstrations between August 1 and 10, were expressing their frustrations over hunger and escalating economic hardships in the country.
