Court adjourns Sowore’s N1.2bn suit against IGP, co-defendants

Justice Mohammed Umar of the Federal High Court in Abuja has adjourned the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by human rights activist Omoyele Sowore to March 10 for a definite hearing.

Sowore is seeking N1.2 billion in damages over his arrest, detention, and arraignment by the police in Abuja. The suit names the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, among other defendants.

At the day’s proceedings, his counsel, Marshal Abubakar, informed the court that the matter was slated for mention and all the defendants, who had been served with hearing notice, were not in court; they gave no reason for their absence.

He prayed the court that the matter be deemed mentioned and a date be fixed for a definite hearing and adoption of processes.

Consequently, the trial judge, Justice Mohammed Umar, adjourned the matter till March 10 for a definite hearing and directed that the hearing notice be served on all the defendants.

Sowore is seeking multiple declarations that his arrest, harassment, restraint, and subsequent arraignment on October 23 and 24, 2025, were “illegal, oppressive, and unlawful.”

In the originating motion, Sowore, through his team of lawyers led by Marshal Abubakar, accused the police of flagrant abuse of power and blatant violation of his constitutionally guaranteed rights to liberty, dignity, and movement.

The motion, brought pursuant to Sections 34, 35, 37, 41, and 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and Articles 2, 5, 6, and 12 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, seeks several reliefs, including a declaration that:

“The arrest of the applicant by the agents of the respondents on 23rd October, 2025, is illegal, oppressive, unlawful, and constitutes a blatant violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Sowore is also asking the court to declare that his harassment, restraint, and detention on the same date violated his freedom of movement under Section 41(1) of the Constitution and Article 12 of the African Charter.

“The harassment, restraint, arrest, and detention of the applicant by the agents of the respondents on 23rd October, 2025, is illegal, oppressive, unlawful, and constitutes a blatant violation of the applicant’s fundamental right to freedom of movement,” the court document reads in part.

He further described his arraignment on October 24, 2025, as a continuation of the constitutional violations, saying it breached his right to dignity and freedom from arbitrary detention.

In his supporting affidavit, he narrated how he was arrested within the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while attending to legal proceedings, allegedly on accusations related to a peaceful protest.

“I was arrested on the 23rd October, 2025, within the vicinity of this honourable court over allegations that I took part in a peaceful protest”, the affidavit stated and accused the police of resorting to “self-help rather than due process.”

He asked the court to order the AGF to initiate disciplinary actions against the IGP and the FCT Commissioner of Police under relevant laws, including the Anti-Torture Act of 2017 and the Violence Against Persons Act.

The suit seeks an order mandating the 1st to 3rd respondents (IGP, Nigeria Police, and FCT Commissioner) to tender a public apology to Sowore in at least three national newspapers for violating his rights.

It also seeks an order compelling the respondents to jointly and severally pay N200 million as general damages for the unlawful arrest and detention, and an additional N1 billion as punitive and exemplary damages for the “illegal violation” of his fundamental human rights.

The document further stated that the activist was entitled to compensation and a public apology, as the police actions “amounted to oppression, abuse of power, and a violation of human dignity.

“The applicant is entitled to an order compelling the respondents to pay N1.2billion as damages and to tender public apologies for the blatant violation of his fundamental rights without following due process of law,” the suit reads.