Afe Babalola Obtains Court Order To Ban Farotimi’s Bestseller, Seize Royalties

The Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an order halting the production and distribution of Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, a book by embattled human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi.

The book, which has sparked intense debate due to its explosive allegations of judicial corruption, was recently recognized as a global bestseller in the politics category on Amazon.

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The order, sought by renowned legal figure Afe Babalola, demands the cessation of both physical and digital sales of the book, as well as the seizure of any royalties accrued from its distribution.

The application, filed under suit number CV/5372/24 by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, SAN, the Head of Afe Babalola’s law firm, was submitted on December 6, 2024. The court granted an interlocutory injunction restraining Farotimi and all associated parties from further distributing the book.

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The injunction 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.

The book accused Babalola of using his influence to manipulate the judiciary in order to secure favorable rulings for his clients. These serious allegations have sparked widespread public interest, thrusting the veteran legal figure into the center of controversy.

The legal attempt to halt the book’s distribution came as it gained rapid global attention, with both critics and readers commending its bold critique of Nigeria’s criminal justice system.

As the legal battle continues, Farotimi’s supporters argue that the injunction threatens free speech and undermines accountability within the judiciary, while others view it as a crucial measure to safeguard legal integrity.