Farotimi: Police allege witnesses intimidation, oppose bail application

Published

1 year ago

December 11, 2024

An Ekiti State Magistrates’ Court in Ado Ekiti, on Tuesday, sent lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi, back to prison after the police vehemently opposed his application for bail, accusing him of intimidating witnesses.

The magistrate adjourned till December 20 to rule on whether or not to admit Farotimi to bail following the stiff opposition by the police.

The police are prosecuting Farotimi on the allegation that he defamed legal luminary and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Aare Afe Babalola.

According to the police, the activist lawyer defamed Babalola in his book titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System.’

Following his arrest in Lagos State last Tuesday, the police took Farotimi to Ekiti State and arraigned him last Wednesday before the Ado Ekiti magistrates’ court where he pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Last week, the magistrate, Abayomi Adeosun, rejected an oral bail application by Farotimi’s lawyer, insisting that a formal bail application should be filed and adjourned till December 10.

At the resumed hearing on Tuesday, the defence counsel, Taiwo Adedeji, urged the magistrate to admit his client to bail, noting that the offence against him is bailable.
The alleged offences are bailable. Again, the defendant should be considered innocent until the contrary is proved.

“The defendant is a lawyer with a fixed address with 25 years unblemished record and his name is on the roll of legal practitioners of the Supreme Court and others. The defendant has undertaken to make himself available whenever his attention is needed,” Adedeji said.

He urged the court to discountenance all that was contained in the prosecution’s counter-affidavit and grant bail to the defendant.

But the prosecuting counsel for the police, Samson Osodu, vehemently opposed the bail application, contending that Farotimi would likely jump bail.

The police prosecutor also described the defendant as “a social media influencer, who, despite being brought to this court, has been intimidating our witnesses, nominal complainant.”

According to the prosecutor, Farotimi had also said many times that he does not believe in the judicial system.

Besides, he argued that “The affidavit brought by the defendants is not competent because it was deposed to by a litigation clerk.”

Earlier, Osodu had opposed the appearance of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, to defend Farotimi.

After taking arguments from the parties, the chief magistrate, Adeosun, adjourned till December 20 to rule on the bail application.

Meanwhile, the planned protest slated for Ekiti State Command Headquarters of Nigeria Police Force organised by the Take it Back Movement failed to hold on Tuesday as no protester was seen in sight.

A community leader and the Olotin of Ado Ekiti, Chief Michael Osaloni, had on Monday cautioned those planning to stage a protest in the state on Tuesday “to steer clear of Ekiti as they would not like the outcome, they should, in their own interest shelve it or else face the consequences”.

The Police Public Relations Officer, Ekiti State Police Command, Sunday Abutu, had also earlier warned against protests in the state.

“The state here is peaceful, the metro here is peaceful. There is no protest here in Ekiti. As a matter of fact, nobody informed us officially that there would be any protest, we just heard it through rumour.

“Though protest is the right of everyone, when we heard about that, we warned that people should desist from unlawful protest. We are happy Ekiti is peaceful. We are glad and we appreciate the good people of Ekiti State for not joining any form of illegal protest to put the state in a state of chaos,” the PPRO said.
In his reaction to the court ruling, the 2023 presidential candidate of African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, stated on his X handle, “The ruling on @delefarotimi’s bail application was today adjourned till December 20.

“@DeleFarotimi has been sent back to prison for the next 10 days. See what begging has done? #FreeDeleFarotimiNow,” Sowore stated

Recall that the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, had on Monday visited Afe Babalola in Ado Ekiti to plead with him over the case of Farotimi, a move Sowore condemned on his X-handle, saying, “I condemn those who went to beg Chief Afe Babalola today (Monday) over the unjust detention and persecution of @DeleFarotimi”.

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Gunmen k!ll President General of Ogidi community and one other in Anambra.

Published

16 hours ago

February 7, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Unidentified gunmen, suspected to be cultists, have k!lled a community leader and one other person in Anambra State.

The President-General of Ogidi community in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ikwuka Okoye, popularly known as Anumili (pictured above), was k!lled on Friday, Feb. 6.

The attack was alleged to have been carried out by members of a rival cult group in revenge for the de@th of their leader, who was arrested and k!lled by local security operatives.

During the attack, which took place at the School Field, Ogidi, another man whose identity has yet to be ascertained was also gunned down.

The spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a press statement on Saturday.

Ikenga said the incident is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

He said, “The Anambra State Police Command regrets the murd£r of the President-General of the Ogidi community and one other person. The incident, which occurred on the evening of February 6, 2026, at the School Field, Ogidi, is allegedly linked to the recent capture and k!lling of a known notorious cultist within the community.

“Following the report, police operatives swiftly took over the scene of the incident and commenced investigations. The command is currently working with eyewitness accounts and other available intelligence to identify and arrest the perpetrators.

“The Anambra State Police Command assures members of the public that all efforts are being intensified to bring those responsible to justice.

“Residents are urged to remain calm and cooperate with the police as investigations continue.

“Further developments will be communicated in due course.”

Police bust syndicate behind nude photo blackmail in Lagos

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

Men of the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU), Lagos, have apprehended three suspects who allegedly run a cyber blackmail and extortion scheme in the state.

According to the spokesperson of the unit, DSP Ovie Ewhubare, the suspects get a hold of their victims explicit photos and then threaten to release them if a ransom is not paid.

He said that the suspects, two males and a female, were apprehended after a petition was filed by a complainant who reported being repeatedly threatened by unknown individuals demanding money.

“The complainant received several phone calls in which the callers threatened to release her nude photographs to the public if she failed to pay them. Acting out of fear and emotional distress, she transferred money to the suspects.

The situation escalated when the suspects demanded an additional N10 million, prompting her to formally petition the police,” he said

The police imagemaker state dthat upon receipt of the complaint, the Commissioner of Police, PSFU, Mr Kayode Ojapinwa, ordered the immediate deployment of operatives to investigate the matter.

“The investigation led to the arrest of the three suspects. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects gained unlawful access to the complainant’s mobile device and fraudulently transferred her nude photographs to his own device. Further findings indicated that he conspired with the other suspects and other accomplices currently at large to demand and receive money from the complainant in several tranches,” he said

According to him, the suspects are currently in police custody and are expected to be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction.

The image maker said that investigations were ongoing to apprehend other fleeing members of the syndicate and to recover all proceeds of the alleged crime.

Catholic Priest Collapses And D!es In Front Of Congregation While Walking To Tabernacle To Return Holy Communion

Published

1 day ago

February 6, 2026

Ekwutos Blog

A Catholic priest has tragically passed away after suddenly collapsing in front of the congregation during Sunday mass.

The tragic incident took place last Sunday, February 1 in Wiesmath in the district of Wiener Neustadt, Austria.

Shortly after administering Holy Communion, 59-year-old priest Raimund Beisteiner was about to return the host to the tabernacle when he “suddenly” collapsed, according to a statement from the Archdiocese of Vienna.

“Despite immediate professional assistance, he di£d in the church,” the statement said.

The mayor of Wiesmath, Erich Rasner, had also attended the Mass with many other believers and witnessed the dramatic scenes.

The shock in Wiesmath at the loss of the popular priest is great. Beisteiner had shaped the spiritual life of the parish for almost two decades and was highly regarded far beyond the community.

Rasner praised him as an “extremely conscientious, sensitive priest” and also emphasized the personal loss of a friendship that had grown over many years.

A prayer service was organized at short notice for the late priest. It was attended by numerous priests from the deanery as well as Archbishop Josef Grünwidl.