The King’s College London in the United Kingdom is presently worried over its Afe Babalola Centre for Transnational Education, named after legal luminary, Afe Babalola, as Nigerians are mounting pressure on the institution and reporting Babalola for alleged abuse of powers.
The London College is also monitoring the growing condemnation from Nigerians against Babalola, which bothers on the legal luminary’s defamation suit against human rights lawyer, Dele Farotimi.
SaharaReporters learnt on Wednesday that there is pressure on the reputable UK College to drop the naming of the centre after Afe Babalola over his alleged use of the Nigerian police to harass Farotimi and to ensure he is currently in remand.
Established in 2023, the Afe Babalola Centre enables King’s College London and its network of partners to provide young Africans with access to education and opportunities which they would otherwise not have.
The centre noted on its website that its vision is based on the power of education to empower and enable Africa’s talented young people to make meaningful contributions to their communities and the world.
The centre said it is funded by Afe Babalola, and it is supporting Africa’s best minds to become local, national and global leaders.
Top sources in the know of the matter told SaharaReporters that the King’s College London has reached out to the Amnesty International, a global human rights organisation, for advisory on what to do.
“Afe Babalola gave them 10 million pounds to set up the center. So, the King’s College was responding to public pressure from Nigerians all over the world to cancel the Afe Babalola’s Center for Transnational Education, following his role in arresting Dele Farotimi,” one of the top sources revealed.
“So there is panic at the King’s College London over Afe Babalola’s scandal with Farotimi. The College has contacted the Amnesty International to check for what to do,” the source revealed further.
SaharaReporters had on Wednesday reported that the Amnesty International demanded the immediate and unconditional release of Farotimi, detained by the Nigeria Police Force in Ekiti State.
Amnesty International had said that in the Nigerian police custody, there is little hope of fair treatment and no transparency, adding that the police interrogation centers across the country are also notorious locations of possible violations.
The global human rights organisation had warned that the President Bola Tinubu-led Nigerian government must end the escalation of clampdown on dissenting voices in the country and allow everyone in the country to freely exercise their fundamental rights as guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution and international law.
In a short statement issued on its social media account, Amnesty International said, “Dele Farotimi must be immediately and unconditionally released. In custody of Nigeria Police, there is little hope of fair treatment and no transparency.
“Police Interrogation centers are also notorious locations of possible violations.
“President Bola Tinubu’s government must end this escalating clampdown on dissenting voices and allow everyone in the country to freely exercise their human rights as guaranteed by Nigeria’s constitution and international law.”
SaharaReporters also reported that the Ekiti State Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti denied bail to Farotimi, who is facing allegations of cybercrime.
Farotimi was arrested following a petition by a legal luminary, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN).
The charge suit no: MAD/1,476.C/2024, pits the Ekiti State Commissioner of Police as the complainant against Farotimi as the defendant.
Some of the charges had read, “That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you stated at page IX of the book: “That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure a fraudulent judgment in the service of his clients” which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to believe that the Statements is false and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 59(1) of Criminal Code Act.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System” which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you stated at page X: “That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co, (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got that Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self abnegation” which is likely to cause fear and alarm to the public or disturb the public peace knowing or having reason to believe that the Statements is false and thereby committed an offence.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you alleged in page X, That Aare Afe Babalola, Olu Daramola, Olu Faro and the law offices of Afe Babalola & Co, (Emmanuel Chambers) compromised the Supreme Court and the remaining semblance of integrity it might have had when they went back to the Supreme Court and got that Court to swim in the sewer of corruption and shameful self- Abnegation which statement you knew were false and likely to injure the reputation of the said Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb, LL.D.; Olu Daramola, SAN, FCIArb; Mr Ola Faro and the law firm of Afe Babalola & Co. by exposing them to hatred, contempt, ridicule and damage them in their profession and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 373 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under Section 375 of Criminal Code Act.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you criminally defamed the pe person of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb in page IX, of the said book.
It said, “That Aare Afe Babalola corrupted the Supreme Court to procure allegations and clients are a fraudulent ju knew were faise likely judgement in the to injure the of the said Aare Ale Babel conten, OFR, Colure the reputation by exposing him to thereby committe ridicule and Carb. LL.D in his profession and Chennal Coumitted an offend damage him in section 373 of the Codenal Code Act and punishablontrary Section 375 of Criminal Act.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored published and circul karotimi book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice Systericulated your booked and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti hicthin the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you criminally dehimed the person of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIALdam page, of the said book where you stated: “That I sued Afe Babalola SAN for libel and that he leveraged his influence in the judiciary to deny me justice” which statement you knew were false allegations and likely to injure the reputation of the said Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb, LL.D by exposing him to hatred, contempt, ridicule and damage him in his profession and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 373 of the Criminal Code Act and punishable under Section 375 of Criminal Code Act.
“That you Dele Farotimi ‘m’ sometimes in 2024 authored, published and circulated your book titled: “Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System which was received and read all over the world including Ado-Ekiti within the Ado-Ekiti Magisterial District wherein you criminally defamed the person of Aare Afe Babalola, SAN, OFR, CON, FCIArb in pages 10-11 of the said book.”
The court also denied bail to Farotimi and adjourned till December 10, 2024.
THIS STORY FIRST APPEARED IN SAHARA REPORTERS
