The Federal High Court in Lagos has ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay N30 million in damages for unlawfully declaring activist and publisher Omoyele Sowore wanted in 2025.
Delivering judgment on Friday, Justice Musa Kakaaki ruled that the police action breached constitutional safeguards and amounted to an abuse of authority.
The court held that the declaration violated Sowore’s fundamental rights and failed to meet established legal standards.
The damages were awarded jointly against the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh.
In a detailed ruling, Justice Kakaaki traced the legal framework governing the declaration of individuals as wanted persons in Nigeria.
He stressed that such action requires strict adherence to due process, including a valid court-issued warrant, credible evidence, and proof that the individual is evading lawful investigation or prosecution.
The judge found that none of these procedural safeguards were satisfied in Sowore’s case.
He also nullified an earlier directive issued in October 2025 ordering the activist to stay away from Lagos State, describing it as arbitrary and beyond the lawful powers of the police.
Similarly, the public notice issued in November 2025 branding Sowore as wanted was declared unconstitutional and ultra vires.
The controversy stemmed from allegations that Sowore was attempting to mobilise a protest on the Third Mainland Bridge over property demolitions in the Oworonshoki area of Lagos.
Following the police declaration, Sowore approached the court seeking enforcement of his rights to dignity, liberty, freedom of movement, expression and peaceful assembly, as guaranteed under the Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
He argued that he had neither been formally invited nor served with a warrant prior to being declared wanted, and that the move damaged his reputation as a journalist and former presidential candidate.
Although he sought N500 million in general and exemplary damages, the court awarded N30 million.
The police had maintained that the commissioner acted within his powers and insisted that Sowore failed to honour an invitation for questioning.
During a television interview at the time, Commissioner Jimoh defended the declaration and dismissed claims of misconduct.
However, the court held that administrative convenience cannot override constitutional protections.
Justice Kakaaki emphasised that no citizen should be criminalised for exercising lawful rights or criticising government authorities.
Legal analysts said the judgment reinforces the principle that law enforcement agencies must operate within clearly defined legal boundaries, particularly in matters affecting civil liberties.
By awarding damages and condemning procedural lapses, the court underscored the judiciary’s role as a check on executive power and a guardian of fundamental rights.
For Sowore, the ruling marks a legal vindication. For the police, it serves as a pointed reminder that constitutional compliance is not optional, but mandatory.
