Leaked U.S. government cables have revealed that senior Nigerian lawyer Afe Babalola bribed five Court of Appeal judges with $1.125m to procure a favorable judgment for his client, former Adamawa Governor Boni Haruna, in the early 2000s.
According to classified intelligence published by Wikileaks, Babalola paid the judges $225,000 each to restore Haruna to office after an election tribunal had dismissed him for electoral malpractice.
The document cited a lawyer who followed Babalola during meetings in which tens of millions of naira were delivered to the judges to influence their decision.
Babalola, known for his reputation of winning cases, is said to have personally overseen the delivery of N30m in untraceable banknotes to the justices.
U.S. diplomats expressed concerns over the significant differences between the tribunal’s ruling that nullified Haruna’s victory and the Court of Appeal’s decision to restore him, suggesting that the verdict may have been influenced by external parties.
The cable confirmed that bribery was a common practice for high-profile cases in Nigeria, with one attorney noting that cash was typically used to secure favorable outcomes.
Haruna, who was later charged with corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in 2008, was among the first Nigerian governors to face such charges.
The revelation adds weight to accusations made by rights lawyer Dele Farotimi in his book, where he alleged that Babalola used bribes to buy verdicts rather than relying on merit-based arguments.
In response to the book, Babalola sent police to arrest Farotimi over defamation and transported him from Lagos to Ekiti, where Babalola holds significant influence. The incident has sparked public outrage, with many criticizing Babalola’s tactics in handling the defamation case.
Farotimi’s supporters, who were angered by the police brutality, have since backed his decision to not apologize or retract the allegations, further fueling the controversy.
Despite his strong denials, Babalola’s reputation has been severely damaged by the leaks.
His supporters are calling for Farotimi’s apology, while protests are being planned across Nigeria and at King’s College London, where Babalola made a £10m donation in 2023, to highlight concerns over freedom of speech and corruption under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
