Human rights activist and founder of SaharaReporters, Omoyele Sowore, has filed a ₦1.2 billion lawsuit against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police, FCT, and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) for what he described as his illegal arrest, detention, and arraignment in Abuja.
According to court filings obtained by SaharaReporters, the suit — filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja — was instituted by a team of 20 human rights lawyers led by Tope Temokun, demanding several declarations that Sowore’s arrest and arraignment on October 23 and 24, 2025, were “illegal, oppressive, and unconstitutional.”
In the motion, Sowore alleged that the police violated his fundamental human rights as guaranteed under 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.
“The arrest of the applicant on 23rd October, 2025, is illegal, oppressive, unlawful, and a blatant violation of the right to personal liberty as enshrined in Section 35(1) of the Constitution,” the activist stated.
He further claimed that his harassment and detention breached his right to freedom of movement, adding that he was arrested within the premises of the Federal High Court, Abuja, while attending a legal proceeding.
“I was arrested on allegations that I participated in a peaceful protest said to have violated a court order — an order I was never served. The police resorted to self-help rather than due process,” Sowore said.
Sowore’s legal team is seeking an order directing the respondents to jointly pay ₦200 million as general damages and ₦1 billion as punitive and exemplary damages. The suit also demands a public apology from the respondents in at least three national newspapers and disciplinary sanctions against the IGP and FCT Commissioner of Police under the Anti-Torture Act (2017) and the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Act.
The activist argued that the police’s actions were in breach of both Nigerian and international human rights laws, amounting to “a gross violation of liberty and dignity.”
The case, filed under Steel Attorneys, bears the signatures of top human rights lawyers including Marshal Abubakar, Pelumi Olajengbesi, Inibehe Effiong, Deji Adeyanju, Ahmed Tijjani Yusuf, Rahila Dauda, Festus Ogun, and Michael Owolabi.
Documents confirming the case filing were acknowledged by the Federal High Court Cashier’s Office, Abuja, on November 12, 2025.
