Human rights lawyer Dele Farotimi has vowed to take legal action against those behind his arrest and detention over a defamation case filed by senior advocate Afe Babalola, which has since been withdrawn.

Farotimi was picked up by the police in Lagos in December 2024 and transported to Ekiti State, where he was charged in relation to statements made in his book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.

A magistrate court subsequently ordered that he be remanded for 21 days.

Although Babalola later withdrew the case, effectively ending the criminal proceedings, Farotimi says he is preparing civil suits against those he believes misused state powers for personal reasons.

“To be frank with you, when you use the word peace, let me continue to reassert that I was always at peace,” he said on Channels Television on Sunday.

“But when it comes to demanding an account of those who have perverted the powers of the state in pursuit of a private cause, you can be certain of one thing: some people will account for my incarceration, but that is not a matter for banter. That is something for the courts to decide.”

He continued, “So even though the criminal suit has been withdrawn, the civil suits are there, and what I would like to do in response to my incarceration is another ball game entirely, but you can take it to the bank: I will certainly be demanding an account from those who sent me to prison.”

Asked who he planned to sue, Farotimi said that decision would be made by his legal team.

“Whether it’s the police that I have to be sued, whether it’s the magistrate who sent me to prison, whether it’s the persons who wrote the petition, whether it’s whoever, but somebody would explain,” he said.