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Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has called for the release of human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi, who was detained on allegations of defamation.
Atiku noted that Nigerians and journalists are been intimidated and harassed by agents of the government through Cybercrime law.
In a statement in marking International Human Rights Day, the former Vice President stressed that Dele Farotimi was detained in Ekiti State for an alleged crime that did not exist in the state.
He stated that the human rights lawyer’s ordeal was a clear example of a pervasive climate of impunity and violation of citizens’ rights in the country.
“Dele Farotimi, a lawyer and tireless advocate for human rights, now languishes in prison custody not for any crime but for the supposed “crime” of persistently speaking truth to power. His only offense lies in his unflinching commitment to exposing the truths that the government and its collaborators would rather remain hidden.
“More troubling still is the fact that he is detained and prosecuted under the guise of a law that does not even exist in Ekiti State. His plight serves as a poignant reflection of the pervasive climate of impunity and the blatant violation of citizens’ rights that has become all too common in Nigeria.
“Yet, perhaps the most alarming of all is the weaponization of the cyberbullying law, which is being used as a tool to harass, intimidate, and silence dissenting voices in the opposition and the press,” he said.
The former presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) called on the government to uphold the protection of constitutional rights of the citizens.
“On this solemn occasion of International Human Rights Day, let us take a moment to remind our leaders at every level of government to honour the oaths they have sworn to protect and uphold the constitutionally enshrined rights of the people. Only through this commitment can we hope to nurture and strengthen our democracy,” he added.
