Proceedings in a fundamental rights enforcement case filed by activist Omoyele Sowore were on Friday stalled at the Federal High Court in Lagos after the police submitted a fresh counter-affidavit moments before the hearing began.
The suit challenges the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood, over his public declaration of Sowore as “wanted” on November 3, 2025 — a move Sowore says was unconstitutional.
Justice Musa Kakaki was set to hear the matter when the police legal team served Sowore’s lawyers the new counter-affidavit inside the courtroom at about 9:05 a.m. Sowore’s counsel, Tope Temokun, described the filing as a “last-minute ambush” intended to disrupt proceedings.
Temokun noted that his team had already filed a Further Affidavit on December 4 and was ready to proceed, but the unexpected document required additional time to prepare a detailed response, including another Further Affidavit and a Reply on Points of Law.
He criticised the police for employing what he called a “familiar tactic of delay” often used by public officials to evade accountability for unlawful actions.
Following the development, the court adjourned the case to December 9, 2025, for hearing.
The suit stems from the Commissioner of Police’s announcement declaring Sowore “wanted” for allegedly participating in a protest against demolitions in Oworonshoki, Lagos — despite no public evidence of a charge, arrest warrant, or ongoing investigation.
Sowore, a former presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), argues that the declaration violated his constitutional rights to liberty, dignity, and freedom of movement. His lawyers insist the CP acted outside his authority and used the declaration as an act of intimidation
