Sowore sues Nigerian Police, IGP Egbetokun, others, demands N500 million as damages

Former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has filed a ₦500 million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, over what he described as the unlawful violation of his constitutional rights.

The suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, follows the public declaration by the Lagos State Police Commissioner on November 3, 2025, naming Sowore as a “wanted person.”

In an affidavit of urgency personally deposed to by him, Sowore said the police declaration was made without any prior invitation, arrest warrant, or pending criminal charge.

He described the act as “unlawful, defamatory, and intended to intimidate and silence me for my activism.”

The human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters is seeking the court’s protection for his fundamental rights to dignity, personal liberty, and freedom of movement, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 39, 40, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

Sowore’s legal team—comprising Tope Temokun, Marshal Abubakar, Inibehe Effiong, A.E. Adegoroye, Moshood Shittu, Deji Adeyanju, O.D. Olatunde, and I.E. Osunyikanmi—filed the motion under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009.

He is asking the court for several urgent orders, including:

Leave to serve court processes on the police through substituted means, specifically via the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja;

An interim injunction restraining the respondents, particularly the Lagos Commissioner of Police, from further harassing, intimidating, arresting, or portraying him as a “wanted person” pending the determination of the substantive motion; and

An interim stay on the public declaration labeling him as wanted, until the court rules on the matter.

In his affidavit, Sowore maintained that he had never received any police invitation or warrant, insisting that the public notice had severely damaged his reputation and violated his constitutional freedoms.

“I am a law-abiding citizen. If I were invited for any lawful investigation, I would have honoured such invitation,” he stated.

He further argued that the police declaration was a deliberate attempt to discredit him as a journalist and former presidential candidate, adding that it was part of broader efforts to muzzle dissent and suppress legitimate activism in Nigeria.

Sowore is asking the court to restrain the police and their agents from further harassment or intimidation and to void the “wanted person” declaration as unconstitutional and defamatory.

The case has been assigned to the Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, and is expected to be heard in the coming days.

The Affidavit Of Urgency reads: “That unless restrained urgently by this Honourable Court, the Respondents will continue to threaten and harass me everywhere I go.

“That I am not also aware of any offences committed by me and neither have I been extended any prior invitation before the 1st Respondent’s declaration on the 3rd day of November, 2025.

“That I am a law abiding citizen and if extended invitation by the 1st Respondent for a crime known to law, I would have honoured such invitation.

“That I am a person of high repute, being a human right activist, journalist, pro-democracy campaigner, and former presidential candidate in this country and the declaration of the 1st Respondent declaring me as a “wanted” criminal unlawfully taints my reputation and dignity contrary to my social status and that if unchecked or unrestrained now, the 1st Respondent and the 2nd and 3rd Respondents will give effect to a declaration I am still challenging here and stifle my freedom of movement and my right to personal liberty will be taken away,

“That since service is fundamental to the jurisdiction of the court, and difficulty in service of processes and hearing notices might delay this case, it has become necessary to depose to the urgency of this matter as I scek leave of this Honourable Court to grant me leave to the applicant to serve the originating processes on the 2nd and 3rd respondents through the mode sought on the motion paper.

“That it is in the interest of justice to grant this application.

“That I depose to this affidavit in good faith, contentiously believing same to be true and in accordance with the Oaths Act.”