The Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an interim order restraining the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Moshood Jimoh, and the Nigeria Police Force from declaring human rights activist Omoyele Sowore “wanted.”
The order was granted on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, by Justice Kakaki, who directed that the police must not act on or give effect to the “wanted” declaration until the hearing of the substantive application fixed for November 14, 2025.
The ruling followed an ex parte application filed by Sowore’s counsel, Barrister Tope Temokun, seeking urgent protection of his client’s constitutional rights after CP Jimoh publicly declared Sowore “wanted” without any lawful court order or warrant.
Reacting to the court’s decision, Temokun described it as “another victory for the rule of law.”
Taking to his official Facebook page, he wrote, “Today is another day of victory for the rule of law and a bold statement that power must operate within the limits of the Constitution,” Temokun said.
“This order stands as a loud statement that despite the seed of anarchy sown every day by those who are supposed to protect the law, the law still breathes in this country. No citizen can be stripped of liberty or dignity by arbitrary police action if we stand firm against injustice,” he added.
With the court’s order, the police are barred from declaring, threatening, arresting, or taking any action based on the “wanted” declaration against Sowore pending further hearing.
The case is set for continuation on November 14, 2025.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, had on Monday declared human rights Sowore wanted over what the CP described as “public disturbance” linked to protests against the illegal demolition of houses in Oworonshoki community, Lagos.
Speaking at the scene of the demolition on Monday, Jimoh accused Sowore of allegedly storming Lagos to “instigate unrest” and mobilise residents against the state government’s controversial demolition exercise.
In a video obtained by PurpleWorld Media on Monday, the police commissioner said:
“I hereby, as the Commissioner of Police, Lagos Police Command, declare Sowore wanted. I declare him wanted for the act of causing disturbance of public peace and an attempt to commit serious felony by planning and putting all the plans in motion to obstruct traffic on the Third Mainland Bridge to cause hardship for Lagosians and other Nigerians. We will not allow this to happen.”