Federal High Court Warns Lagos Police Commissioner Moshood Against Declaring Sowore Wanted
Federal High Court Warns Lagos Police Commissioner Moshood Against Declaring Sowore Wanted
The Lagos CP Moshood made the boasts despite an existing court order restraining such actions.
The Federal High Court in Lagos State on Thursday issued a strong warning to the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Jimoh Moshood, after receiving reports that he continued to boast publicly that an activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore “remains wanted.”
The Lagos CP Moshood made the boasts despite an existing court order restraining such actions.
The warning came during proceedings in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Sowore against the Commissioner of Police and other respondents.
The case, brought under the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules, requires the police to file their defence within five days.
However, at the resumed hearing on Friday, the police had not filed any response — two days after the deadline had already expired.
A police lawyer, Cyril Ejiofor, appeared in court to request additional time for the respondents.
Sowore’s counsel, human rights attorney Tope Temokun, opposed the application, arguing that the police had shown a pattern of disregard for the law by failing to file their defence and by continuing to threaten Sowore in violation of the court’s earlier order.
Temokun informed the court that the Commissioner of Police had been openly declaring that Sowore was still wanted and had continued to issue threats despite the court’s directive on November 5 restraining such actions.
He argued that this behaviour not only violated Sowore’s rights but directly challenged the authority of the court.
The court took note of the complaint and expressed displeasure over what it described as a reckless disregard for its orders.
The judge warned of serious consequences for disobedience and insisted that the police must comply fully with the court’s directives.
Under pressure, the police counsel gave an undertaking in open court that the Commissioner of Police would immediately cease all threats and would not arrest, intimidate, or declare Sowore wanted until the substantive suit is heard and determined.
The court reaffirmed its earlier order and again restrained the Commissioner of Police from taking any steps to declare Sowore wanted or to act on any such declaration.
The court adjourned the case to November 24, 2025, for hearing.
Speaking after the proceedings, Temokun said the legal team would continue to insist on strict adherence to constitutional rights. “We are not asking for privilege,” he said. “We are asking for equality under the law. No police officer or government has the power to take away rights the Constitution has already given. Rights are not charity.”
