•Ugochinyere
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has restrained the Imo State government, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies from interfering with the civic and political activities of Ikenga Ugochinyere, a House of Representatives member, representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.
Also affected by the order issued by Justice Kayode Agunloye are the Chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas.
Justice Agunloye issued the order while ruling on an ex parte motion, marked: M/481/2026 filed along with a substantive suit, marked FCT/HC/CV/153/2026 by Ugochinyere through his lawyer, Chizubor Ezike, reports The Nation.
The order by Justice Agunloye bars the affected authorities from sealing, blocking or disrupting rallies, meetings, campaigns or processions organised by Ugochinyere and his supporters anywhere in Ideato or across Imo State.
Justice Agunloye also restrained the defendants, their agents and anyone acting on their behalf from stopping, denying access to, sealing off or otherwise preventing Ugochinyere and his supporters from using venues for peaceful rallies, processions, meetings, campaigns and other lawful civic activities within the federal constituency and beyond in Imo State.
He equally restrained the defendants from destroying, dismantling, defacing or removing billboards and signage installed by the lawmaker across the constituency, and from providing security cover for such acts.
In addition, Justice Agunloye barred the defendants from breaching Ugochinyere’s rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly and movement, including his right to erect signage publicising constituency projects, communicate civic messages, mobilise constituents and promote security awareness.
Ugochinyere had, in a supporting affidavit, raised concerns over attempts to disrupt meeting venues linked to him and his supporters, including meetings and rallies of his political party, the Action Peoples Party (APP).
He maintained that his constituency engagements are lawful exercises of his mandate and his right to interact with his constituents.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the State Security Service (SSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Governor of Imo State, the Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (IMSAA), the Chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, and the Director of the SSS in the state, among others.
Justice Agunloye, in a separate ruling on July 28 rejected the Imo State Government’s application to vacate the injunctive orders already granted ex-parte.
Instead, the judge agreed with the plaintiff that the interim orders should subsist till the next adjourned date of November 4.
