By Ayomide Otitoju
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has granted an interim injunction restraining Lagos-based lawyer Dele Farotimi from publishing, selling, advertising, or distributing his book titled “Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.” The order, issued by Justice Peter Kekemeke, follows an ex parte application filed by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm.
In addition to Farotimi, the court also barred various agents, publishers, and bookstores—including Dele Farotimi Publishers, Amazon Online Bookstore, Rovingheights Bookstore, Booksellers Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos Bookstore, Glendora Bookshop, Quintessence Lagos Bookstore, and Patabah Books Limited—from engaging in any further publication or distribution of the book, whether in physical, digital, or any other format, pending the outcome of a motion for interlocutory injunction filed on December 6, 2024.
Moreover, the court ordered the seizure of all physical copies of the book, instructing security agencies such as the Nigerian Police Force, State Security Service, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to locate and confiscate the books wherever they may be present, including at the aforementioned bookstores globally.
Justice Kekemeke mandated that the relevant security agencies provide an affidavit confirming their compliance with the court’s order within 72 hours of its issuance.
In a related case, the Oyo State High Court granted an interim order preventing Farotimi or anyone acting on his behalf from printing further copies of the same book. This ruling came from Justice Mufutau Adegbola, who approved the application brought by Adebayo Adenipekun, another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, on December 9, 2024.
After hearing arguments from Chukwudi Maduka, who represented Adenipekun, the Oyo court issued its injunction and has scheduled a
