•IGP Egbetokun and activist Sowore
The Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, has restrained the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, from declaring human rights activist and African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, wanted.
The order came today following a suit filed by Sowore, who accused the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police of acting unlawfully and beyond their powers, reports Daily Independent.
Speaking after the court session, Sowore, who was present in court, described the development as “a victory for the rule of law and a warning against impunity.”
He added that he had also filed a ₦500 million lawsuit against the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, and CP Moshood Jimoh for what he termed a “reckless abuse of power and defamation of character.”
According to Sowore, the police’s action was politically motivated and intended to silence dissenting voices.
“No one, not even the police, is above the law. Declaring citizens wanted without due process is tyranny, and we must put an end to it,” he said.
The case, which has sparked widespread public interest, follows Sowore’s recent confrontation with security agents after his outcry over the demolition of homes in Oworonshoki, Lagos.
The court adjourned further proceedings to a later date to hear substantive arguments on Sowore’s claim for damages.
