Judicial Firestorm: Afe Babalola Moves to Block Bestseller Exposing Alleged Courtroom Manipulations

By Achimi Muktar

In a dramatic twist that has ignited fierce public debate, the Federal High Court in Abuja has issued an injunction halting the distribution of Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System, a tell-all book by embattled lawyer and activist, Dele Farotimi.

The book, which skyrocketed to the top spot in Amazon’s global politics bestseller list, delves into alleged corruption within Nigeria’s judiciary, spotlighting accusations that legal titan Afe Babalola manipulated court proceedings to secure favorable judgments for his clients. The explosive revelations have thrust the publication into the global spotlight, sparking both outrage and intrigue.

In a lawsuit filed on December 6, 2024 (Suit No: CV/5372/24), Mr. Babalola, through his legal team led by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, sought an order to freeze the book’s royalties and prevent its circulation on platforms like Amazon, Rovingheights Bookstore, Jazzhole Lagos, and others. The court granted the injunction, which not only bans the sale and distribution of physical and digital copies but also mandates the seizure of existing copies wherever they may be found.

The injunction reads:

“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... from further publishing, selling, circulating, advertising, or distributing the physical/hard/digital/soft copies of the book...”

Mr. Farotimi’s work has drawn both applause and criticism for its no-holds-barred critique of Nigeria’s legal system, with the alleged involvement of prominent figures like Mr. Babalola fueling its meteoric rise in global readership. The legal injunction now casts a shadow over the book’s future, but it has also amplified interest, as critics argue the move validates the author’s claims of deep-seated judicial corruption.

The controversy surrounding the publication has transformed it into a symbol of resistance for advocates of transparency in Nigeria's judicial system, with some observers questioning whether the legal challenge will serve to silence the book or propel it further into the public eye.

As the courtroom battle unfolds, all eyes are on Nigeria’s judiciary to see if the system can withstand the scrutiny of both the allegations in the book and the handling of this high-stakes legal clash.