Sowore slams N500m lawsuit against police for declaring him wanted

Human rights activist and a former presidential candidate, Omnoyele Sowore, has slammed a N500 million fundamental rights enforcement suit against the Nigeria Police Force; Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun; and Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, for declaring him wanted.

The Lagos State Police Command through CP Jimoh had declared Sowore wanted on Monday.

This was for attempting to lead a protest on the Third Mainland Bridge over the demolition in the Oworonshoki area of the state.

Reacting to the development, Sowore said the declaration was unlawful and violated his constitutional liberties.

In the suit filed before the Federal High Court in Lagos on Wednesday, he seeks the enforcement of his rights to dignity, personal liberty, freedom of expression, association, and movement as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.

According to the affidavit of urgency personally deposed to by Sowore, the Lagos Commissioner of Police announced him as wanted on November 3, 2025 despite not receiving any police invitation, warrant, or notice of investigation.

Sowore, through his legal team comprising of prominent human rights lawyers, including Tope Temokun, Marshal Abubakar, Inibehe Effiong, and Deji Adeyanju, is urging the court to restrain the police from arresting, harassing, or intimidating him, and to set aside the public declaration tagging him as a fugitive.

He argued that the police action had impaired his constitutional rights and unlawfully damaged his reputation as a journalist, activist, and former presidential candidate.

He added that he would have honoured any lawful invitation extended to him.

Sowore asked the court to restrain the police from harassing, intimidating, or arresting him and to set aside the public declaration labelling him “wanted”.

He also prayed for an order awarding N500 million in general and exemplary damages against the defendant “for the unlawful, unconstitutional, and oppressive violation” of his fundamental rights.

In separate applications filed along with the substantive suit, Sowore sought an order allowing him to serve the respondents through substituted means and an interim injunction halting the effect of the police declaration pending the hearing of the substantive motion.

Additionally, he sought an interim order restraining the police from further labelling him as a wanted pending the hearing of the motion on notice and another staying the operationalisation of Jimoh’s public declaration.

He stated that failure to grant the injunctions would expose him to continuing harassment.

Jimoh, however, despite the legal action, has insisted that his declaration remains valid.

Speaking on a Channels Television programme: “Sunrise Daily,” on Wednesday, he said Sowore failed to report to the police as allegedly agreed by his lawyer.

“My declaration that Sowore is wanted is still in force,” he said.

The CP stated that Sowore’s lawyer contacted him via a text message while he was responding to a riot and was referred to the Officer-in-Charge of Legal.

According to him, the lawyer agreed that Sowore would appear at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba, where the investigation is being handled.

“But throughout yesterday, he failed to report,” he said, adding: “We will do everything within the ambit of the law to get him arrested, investigated, and prosecuted.”

Jimoh maintained that he had the legal authority to declare Sowore wanted and urged critics to seek redress in court.

He also dismissed Sowore’s allegation that the Inspector-General of Police ordered that he should be “shot on sight.”

He described the claim as “major misinformation,” insisting that Egbetokun would never issue such an order.

Sowore had alleged in a post on X that he was specifically targeted by the police during Monday’s anti-demolition protest.

He tweeted: “In Lagos earlier today, I was targeted by @PoliceNG during an anti-demolition protest in Oworonshoki.

“The deadly squads were sent by Kayode Egbetokun, the illegal Inspector General of Police.”

Responding to this, Jimoh told his interviewers on Channels TV: “For him to say that the IGP ordered that he be shot is mischievous.

“It shows Sowore is planning—and has even begun—to cause mayhem across Lagos.

“That is why I declared him wanted.”