BREAKING: Sowore Drags IGP Egbetokun, FCT Police Commissioner, Others To Court Over Illegal Arrest, Demands N1.2billion As Damages

Pro-democracy and human rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), and the Attorney General of the Federation, demanding a total of ₦1.2 billion as damages. 

The damages for what Sowore described as his illegal arrest, detention, and arraignment by police operatives in Abuja.

According to court documents obtained by SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the suit, filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, seeks 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 human rights lawyers led by Tope Temokun, Marshal Abubakar, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Inibehe Effiong, Deji Adeyanju, and others, 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 also asked 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 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.

“The arraignment of the applicant by the agents of the respondents on 24th October, 2025, is illegal, oppressive, unlawful, and constitutes a blatant violation of applicant’s fundamental right to freedom of movement, liberty, and the dignity of the person,” Sowore’s lawyers stated.

The activist, in his supporting affidavit, 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 complainants alleged violated a previous order made by this honourable court,” the affidavit states.

“No order was ever served on me by the respondents,” Sowore added, accusing the police of resorting to “self-help rather than due process.”

He asked the court to order the Attorney General of the Federation 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 (VAPP).

The suit also 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 continued: An order compelling the respondents to jointly and severally pay ₦200 million as general damages for the unlawful arrest and detention and An additional ₦1 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 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 ₦1.2billion as damages and to tender public apologies for the blatant violation of his fundamental rights without following due process of law,” the suit reads.

Sowore’s legal team maintained that the police violated multiple provisions of the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and international human rights treaties binding on Nigeria.

“The actions of the respondents constitute a gross violation of Sections 34(1), 35, 37, and 41 of the Constitution and Articles 2, 5, 6, and 12 of the African Charter,” the motion stated.

The suit was signed by 20 human rights lawyers, including Ahmed Tijjani Yusuf, Hamza Dantani, Rahila Dauda, Festus Ogun, Michael Owolabi, Faruq Kemiel, and others, under the legal partnership Steel Attorneys, based in Abuja. 

Court records seen by SaharaReporters also show that the case was officially filed on November 12, 2025, and acknowledged by the Federal High Court Cashier’s Office in Abuja.