By Ayo Ayodele
A rights activist and former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has filed a suit against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) over what he described as the violation of his fundamental human rights.
Sowore instituted the action before the Federal High Court in Abuja, naming the AGF and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force, and the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory, as respondents.
In an affidavit supporting the suit, Sowore alleged that he was arbitrarily arrested and detained on October 23, 2025, near a court premises, over claims that he participated in a peaceful protest allegedly held in violation of a court order.
He maintained that he was never served with any restraining order before the protest and argued that the respondents acted unlawfully by arresting him instead of returning to court to seek enforcement.
Sowore further stated that he was arraigned the following day without any concrete evidence of a crime, insisting that the arrest and detention violated his constitutional rights to personal liberty, freedom of movement, and human dignity.
He accused the respondents of attempting to intimidate and silence him for exercising his constitutional rights and claimed that the alleged treatment amounted to torture, contrary to the provisions of the Anti-Torture Act.
Among the reliefs sought, Sowore asked the court to award him ₦1.2 billion in general and exemplary damages and to order a public apology to be published in at least three national newspapers.
When the case was mentioned on Wednesday, none of the respondents was represented in court. Consequently, Justice Mohammed Umar ordered fresh service of court processes on all parties and adjourned the matter to March 10, 2026, for hearing.