Image of Dele Farotimi: Source: Premium Times
|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Claim: Facebook users’ images ANGEL Global, Osha-bro show Peter Obi, Dele Farotimi and Deji Adeyanju in front of Ekiti prison.
Verdict: Misleading. The image is doctored.
Full Text
Dele Farotimi, a prominent human rights lawyer and activist, was arrested on Dec. 3, 2024, in Lagos by officers from the Ekiti State Police Command. His arrest followed a defamation petition filed by Afe Babalola, a senior lawyer, accusing Farotimi of making defamatory statements in a book he published.
After his arrest, Mr Farotimi was arraigned on multiple charges, including criminal defamation, to face 16 counts related to the allegations. He was remanded in custody and denied bail. The Magistrate Court in Ado-Ekiti denied him bail, despite a contrary ruling by the Federal High Court in Ado-Ekiti, which had granted him bail.
Farotimi’s detention has sparked condemnation from various human rights advocates and legal professionals, who argue that the police’s actions violate constitutional rights and that the charges against him are unfounded, especially since defamation has been decriminalised under Lagos State law.
On Dec. 9, 2024, Peter Obi, former presidential candidate of the Labour Party, visited Aare Afe Babalola in Ado-Ekiti to discuss the ongoing legal issues involving Mr Farotimi. He then visited the correctional facility where Mr Farotimi was detained.
Following the incident, various images emerged of Peter Obi’s visit to the Ekiti correctional facility.
A Facebook page, ANGEL Global, posted an image on December 10, 2024, with the caption, “Dele Farotimi and Peter Obi in Ekiti prison.” The image showed Deji Adeyanju, Peter Obi, and Dele Farotimi in handcuffs, surrounded by police officers. Another Facebook user, Osha-bro, posted the same image with the caption, “Justice for all is what we asked of.”
Verification
DUBAWA fact-checked the authenticity of the image. A Google Reverse Image Search revealed the original image only showed Peter Obi and had been online since December 9, 2024. The other people in the circulating image were photoshopped in, as the edges of their images appeared feathered, a feature indicative of digital manipulation.
The original image was posted on December 9, 2024, by Twitter user Dr Mo (@Drmopaul) The post included four images, one of which had been doctored. The caption on @Drmopaul’s post reads:
“Today, Mr. @PeterObi travelled from Lagos to Ekiti State, dedicating the entire day to meaningful engagements. He visited Aare Afe Babalola at his office within the Afe Babalola University, where they had in-depth discussions on critical issues, including the situation of activists and lawyer @DeleFarotimi. Following this, Mr @PeterObi proceeded to the prison facility where @DeleFarotimi is being held. In a private meeting, he expressed solidarity and engaged in a candid exchange aimed at addressing the prevailing challenges.”
DUBAWA also conducted further searches and found that credible outlets like The Punch Newspaper referenced Dr Mo’s (@Drmopaul’s) post. Meanwhile, The Cable used a photo of Obi standing alone in front of the correctional facility, without Farotimi, Deji Adeyanju, or any police officers.
Conclusion
The image of Peter Obi standing with a handcuffed Dele Farotimi, along with Deji Adeyanju and police personnel, is misleading. The original image only featured Peter Obi, with the other figures in the photo digitally inserted into the image.
