King’s College London Considering Reversing Decision To Honour Afe Babalola Over Dele Farotimi’s Arrest 

… As Amnesty International Says “Police Interrogation Centres Are Allegedly Notorious Of Possible Violations”

By Joseph Sunday 

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The King’s College London in the United Kingdom is presently considering reversing its decision to honour Aare Afe Babalola, the founder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti over his role in the arrest of a Lagos based Human Rights Lawyer and Activist, Barrister Dele Farotimi.

The prominent and popular King’s College in London has come under global pressure to cancel Afe Babalola Centre for TransNational Education, named after the legal luminary, Afe Babalola. 

According to reports, international writers, human rights groups and Nigerians globally are mounting the pressure on the foremost UK College to act on Babalola’s alleged abuse of powers and return his donation to the institution.

According to a source who craved anonymity, King’s College London reached out to the Amnesty International, a global human rights organisation, for advisory.

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“Afe Babalola gave them 10 million pounds to set up the centre. 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 the arrest of Barrister Dele Farotimi.

“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.

“Apparently there is now global pressure to cancel Afe Babalola’s Center at the King’s College and return his donation.

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“There is pressure from international writers, human rights groups and Nigerians in the diaspora calling the King’s College,” he explained.

Reports have it 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.

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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 had 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 centres are also notorious locations of possible violations“.

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“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”.

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