A Federal High Court in Osogbo has ordered the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Service Commission to pay N100 million in damages for actions taken to stop the February 22, local government election in Osun State.
The judgement was delivered on Monday by Justice A.A. Demi-Ajayi in suit FHC/OS/CS/41/2025.
Justice Demi-Ajayi held that the sealing of the offices of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) and the arrest of its staff before the election were unlawful.
The judge ruled that the police did not cite any law that was breached to justify the operation.
The court also held that evidence before it showed that the election was conducted in line with relevant sections of the Electoral Act 2022 and other applicable laws, leaving no basis for Police interference.
OSSIEC and its chairman, Hashim Abioye, filed the suit seeking declarations that the closure of the commission’s offices across the state, the threat to arrest the chairman, and the arrest of ad-hoc staff were unlawful.
The claimants also asked the court to determine whether their rights to liberty, private life, dignity and property under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights had been violated.
They argued that the conduct of the Police indicated partisanship and urged the court to hold that the arrest and detention of OSSIEC staff were illegal.
They further contended that the local government election had been ordered by a court and described the police operation as an affront to the judiciary.
They sought N2 billion as aggravated damages.
The claimants also prayed the court to restrain the IGP and his agents from interfering with the lawful duties of the commission.
In response, the defendants admitted sealing OSSIEC offices and arresting staff but said the actions were preventive steps to stop the commission of crime.
In an affidavit by Inspector Ogunmokun Abiodun, the police said their action was based on suspicion that OSSIEC officials had engaged in activities believed to violate the Electoral Act and other applicable laws.
The deponent stated that the claimants exaggerated events, adding that the Police only carried out their duty of maintaining order.
The defendants denied allegations of partisanship, insisting that the police acted within constitutional and statutory limits.
Speaking after the judgement, OSSIEC chairman Hashim Abioye commended the judiciary and the legal team led by Maruf Adediran.
He said the ruling had documented the actions of the plice regarding the election and that the record would remain for future reference.
