THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court has issued an interim injunction barring Lagos-based lawyer Dele Farotimi from publishing, selling, or distributing his book, “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.”
The injunction, granted by Peter Kekemeke, the court’s judge, followed allegations of defamation against Afe Babalola, a senior advocate and founder of Afe Babalola University.
The order, also restrained Farotimi’s representatives, publishers, and distributors, including Rovingheights Bookstore, and Amazon Online Bookstore, from circulating copies of the book in any format.
The court’s order was granted pending the hearing of a motion for interlocutory injunction, dated and filed on the 6th day of December 2024.
The claimant, Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a senior advocate, from Afe Babalola’s law firm, argued that excerpts from the book contained defamatory statements intended to harm Babalola’s reputation.
The ruling prevented Farotimi, his representatives, and associated entities from promoting or circulating physical or digital copies of the book through any means, including online platforms and social media.
It also applied to several bookstores and distributors, such as Rovingheights Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, and Amazon Online Bookstore.
The injunction, according to Sahara Reporters read, “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.
“An order of interlocutory injunction directing the seizure of all physical copies of the book authored by the defendant/respondent titled, ‘Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System’n wherever they may be.”
In addition, the court directed security agencies, including the Nigerian Police Force, State Security Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, to seize all copies of the book wherever they are found.
