….. as hearing begins March 10
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA–A frontline activist and politician, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, has dragged the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to court over alleged violation of his fundamental human rights.
In the suit he lodged before the Federal High Court in Abuja, Sowore, who is a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress, AAC, alleged that he was arbitrarily arrested and detained without a court order.
Equally cited as respondents in the suit were the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), as well as the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In an affidavit he personally deposed to in support of the legal action, Sowore averred that he was on October 23, 2025, arrested within the vicinity of the court over an allegation that he took part in a peaceful protest that was against a subsisting order.
Insisting that he was not served any restraining order before the protest was held, the plaintiff argued that instead of reverting to the court to report his alleged disobedience to its order, he said the respondents “resorted to self-help by arresting me and other Comrades.”
“That I neither violated any Court order nor run afoul of any law in Nigeria to warrant my arrest on the 23rd of October, 2025.
“That I was subsequently arraigned by the respondents on the 24th October, 2025 over allegations of violating an order made by this honourable Court.
“That I know as a fact that my arrest and detention is contrary to and violative of my rights as a Nigerian citizen.
“That despite detaining me, the respondents have failed to provide any concrete evidence or define a specific crime allegedly committed by the Applicant and the vile allegation that I took part in protest is insufficient to justify his detention.
“That this Honourable Court has the Constitutional mandate to intervene in cases where the fundamental rights of citizens are violated. The Applicant has no other remedy but to seek the intervention of this Honourable Court to safeguard his rights.
“The Respondents’ actions are a deliberate attempt to intimidate and silence the Applicant for exercising his constitutional rights.
“That I know as a fact that the act and conduct of the Respondents aside violating chapter IV of the Constitution also amounts to torture which has been prohibited by the Anti- Torture Act and that the offence of torture attracts a 25 years jail term.
“That I know as a fact that the Anti- Torture Act also recognizes neither exceptions nor justification for torture.
“That it would be in the best interest of justice for this Honourable Court to grant the reliefs sought herein,” Sowore pleaded.
Aside from praying the court to award to him an aggregate sum of N1. 2 billion to serve as general and exemplary damages, the Applicant, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Abubakar Marshall, equally demanded a public apology to be tendered to him in at least three National Dailies.
Other reliefs he is seeking from the court, include: “Declaration that the arrest of the applicant by the agents of the Respondents on 23rd October, 2025 is illegal, oppressive, unlawful and constitutes a blatant violation of applicant’s fundamental right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35 [1] of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered and Article 6 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights [Ratification and Enforcement] Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.
“A declaration that the harassment, restraint, arrest and detention of the applicant by the agents of the Respondents on 23rd October, 2025 is illegal, oppressive, unlawful and constitutes a blatant violation of applicant’s fundamental right to freedom of movement as enshrined in Section 41 [1] of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered and Article 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights [Ratification and Enforcement] Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
As well as, “A declaration that the harassment, restraint, arrest and detention of the applicant by the agents of the Respondents on 23rd October, 2025 is illegal, oppressive, unlawful and constitutes a blatant violation of applicant’s fundamental right to the dignity of the human person as enshrined in Section 3 [1] of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as altered, and Article 2 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights [Ratification and Enforcement] Act Cap. A9 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”
Meanwhile, when the case was mentioned on Wednesday, none of the Respondents was represented by a lawyer.
Consequently, Justice Mohammed Umar ordered the service of fresh notice on all the Respondents, even as he adjourned the matter till March 10 for hearing.
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