DOCUMENTS: Federal High Court Restrains Nigerian Police From Harassing Or Declaring Sowore Wanted
DOCUMENTS: Federal High Court Restrains Nigerian Police From Harassing Or Declaring Sowore Wanted
The suit, marked FHC/CS/2269/2025, listed the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Nigeria Police Force as respondents.
The Federal High Court in Lagos State has issued an interim order restraining the Lagos State Commissioner of Police and the Nigeria Police Force from harassing, intimidating, or declaring human rights activist and SaharaReporters publisher, Omoyele Sowore, as a “wanted person.
Justice Musa Kakaki, presiding over the matter on Wednesday, granted the order following an ex-parte application filed by Sowore through his counsel, Tope Temokun.
The suit, marked FHC/CS/2269/2025, listed the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, the Inspector-General of Police, and the Nigeria Police Force as respondents.
In the motion, Sowore sought the protection of the court against what he described as unlawful threats and public defamation by the police, particularly the Lagos Commissioner of Police, who had allegedly declared him wanted.
According to the court order, “AN ORDER granting leave to the Applicant to serve the originating processes in this suit and the hearing notices for the court sittings, on the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, by substituted means, to wit; By serving the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, through the grd Respondent’s State Command i.e. the office of the 1st Respondent, the commissioner of police of Lagos State, Lagos State Police Commahd, lIkeja, by delivering to the said state command i.e. the office of the 1st Respondent, each copy of the originating processes and/or hearing notices meant for each of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents.
“AN ORDER of interim injunction restraining the Respondents, particularly the 1# Respondent, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers, or privies, from harassing and/or intimidating and/or threatening with arrest and/or arresting and/or further declaring, representing, or in any manner portraying the Applicant as a “wanted person” or fugitive, pending the hearing and determinatilon of the Motion on Notice.
“AN ORDER of interim stay of operation and action on the effect of the publc declaratlon nade by the Respondent, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, describing or declaring the Applicant, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, ds a “wanted person”, pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.
“AND FOR SUCH FURTHER ORDER OR ORDERS as this Honourable Court may deem fit to make in the circumstance.
“UPON READING the affidavit in support sworn to by Omoyele Sowore, Adult, Male, Christian and Nigerian Citizen of 1, Mosafejo Street, Kiribo, Ese Odo Local government Area, Ondo State.
“AND AFTER HEARING, Tope Temokun, Esq counsel for the Applicant move in terms of the motion paper.”
After reviewing the affidavit and submissions by Temokun, the court granted three key reliefs sought by the applicant.
Justice Kakaki ordered that Sowore be allowed to serve the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force through substituted means — specifically, by delivering the court processes and hearing notices to the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja.
Furthermore, the judge granted an interim injunction restraining the respondents, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers, or privies, from arresting, intimidating, threatening, or further declaring Sowore as a wanted person pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
The court also ordered an interim stay of operation on any public declaration labeling Sowore as a wanted person until the case is fully determined.
The matter was adjourned to November 14, 2025, for the hearing of the substantive suit.
“AND THE COURT, having carefuly considered the application.
“THE COURT DOTH MADE THIS ORDER: Leave of this Honourable Court be and is hereby granted to the Applicant to serve the originating processes in this suit and the hearing notices for the court sitfings, on the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, by substituted means, to wit; By serving the 2nd and 3rd Respondents, through the 3rd Respondent’s State Command i.e. the office of the Respondent, the commissioner of police of Lagos State, Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, by delivering to the said state command i.e. the office of the 1 st Respondent, each copy of the originating processes and/or hearing notices meant for each of the 2nd and 3rd Respondents.
“An order of interim injunction of this Honourable Court is hereby granted restraining the Respondents, particularly the 1 Respondent, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, whether by themselves, their servants, agents, officers, of privies, from harassing and/or intimidating and/or threatening with arrest and/or aresting and/or further declaring. representing, or in any manner portraying the Applicant as a “wanted person” or fugitive, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
“An order of interim stay of operation and action on the effect of the public declaration made by the 1st Respondent, the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, describing or declaring the Applicant, Mr. Omoyele Sowore, as a “wanted person”, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.
“This Case is adjourned to 14/11/2025 for hearing of the substantive suit. The originating process and Hearing Notice in respect of the next adjourned date shall be served on the Respondents. ISSUED AT LAGOS, Under the Seal of the Court and by the Hand of the Presiding Judge this 5th day of November, 2025.”
