A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, has ordered the global seizure of physical copies of book written by human rights activist and lawyer, Mr. Dele Farotimi, alleged to contain defamatory content about Afe Babalola, a retired Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN).
The presiding judge, Justice Peter Kekemeke, gave the order on Wednesday, following an application by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and managing partner at Afe Babalola and Co.
The judge directed the police and other security agencies to confiscate copies of the book wherever they may be found, which is titled, ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.
Also, Justice Kekemeke, issued an ex parte order – granted without a hearing from the respondent, Farotimi, stopping the distribution and advertisement of the book.
Others specifically mentioned in the two orders and barred from further publishing, circulating, advertising or distributing copies of the book are Dele Farotimi publishers, RovingHeights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore and Patabah Books Limited.
Mr Ogunwumiju, in the substantive suit yet to be heard, is seeking N500 million in damages from Farotimi for allegedly defaming him, the law firm, and its other lawyers in the book.
The management of RovingHeights Bookstore, this paper gathered, has already complied with the court order by immediately stopping the sale of the book.
NewsBand reported that Mr. Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University Ado Ekiti (ABUAD), lodged the petition, prompting the police last week to charge Mr. Farotimi with criminal defamation at a chief magistrate’s court and cybercrime violations at the Federal High Court, both located in Ado Ekiti.
The legal face-off between Afe Babalola and Dele Farotimi started after the book gained unprecedented attention, reaching a top spot on Amazon’s bestseller list within days of brutal police actions against the rights activist following Mr Babalola’s petition.
Babalola law firm warns, threatens bookstores
Meanwhile, following the latest court order, Afe Babalola & Co. issued warnings via email to bookstores, instructing them to desist from selling the book.
The bookstores received the warning on Wednesday with threats that non-compliance with the court order could result in imprisonment, financial penalties, and restrictions on their websites.
“As the book is being sold online via your website and social media handles, the contempt proceedings on behalf of our client will include orders of the Court directing the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) to restrict access to your website and social media handles.
“Furthermore, be informed that your individual directors/management staff risk sanctions (including but not limited to financial and custodial), as far as the law permits, should they fail to comply with the said orders of the Court promptly,” the email reads.