A frontline activist and politician, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, has dragged the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Kayode Egbetokun, to court over alleged violations 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 are 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 arrested on October 23, 2025, within the vicinity of the court over an allegation that he took part in a peaceful protest against a subsisting court order.
Insisting that he was not served with any restraining order before the protest was held, the plaintiff argued that instead of reverting to the court to report his alleged disobedience, the respondents “resorted to self-help by arresting me and other comrades.”
“That I neither violated any court order nor ran 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 of October, 2025, over allegations of violating an order made by this Honourable Court.
“That I know as a fact that my arrest and detention are contrary to and violative of my rights as a Nigerian citizen.
“That despite detaining me, the respondents failed to provide any concrete evidence or define a specific crime allegedly committed by the applicant, and the vague allegation that I took part in a protest is insufficient to justify my 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 than 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 acts and conduct of the respondents, aside from violating Chapter IV of the Constitution, also amount to torture, which is prohibited by the Anti-Torture Act, and that the offence of torture attracts a 25-year jail term.
“That I know as a fact that the Anti-Torture Act recognises 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 him an aggregate sum of N1.2 billion as general and exemplary damages, the applicant, through his team of lawyers led by Mr. Abubakar Marshall, also demanded a public apology to be published in at least three national dailies.
Other reliefs sought include a declaration that his arrest on October 23, 2025, was illegal, oppressive and unlawful, and a violation of his fundamental rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement and dignity of the human person, as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Meanwhile, when the case was mentioned on Wednesday, none of the respondents was represented by counsel.
Consequently, Justice Mohammed Umar ordered that fresh hearing notices be served on all the respondents and adjourned the matter till March 10 for hearing.
