Reported by: Ime Richard Aondofa | Edited by: Henry Owen
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, has come under heavy criticism for allegedly defying a valid court order and encouraging anarchy by insisting that activist and Sahara Reporters founder, Omoyele Sowore, “remains wanted.”
According to a statement released on Tuesday, November 11, 2025, by Tope Temokun, counsel to Omoyele Sowore, the Commissioner’s declaration directly violates an interim order of the Federal High Court, which had restrained the police from enforcing the “wanted” notice.
Temokun described the CP’s statement as “a reckless display of executive lawlessness and contempt of court,” accusing him of dragging the image of the Nigeria Police Force into disrepute.
The lawyer argued that as a senior law enforcement officer, Jimoh should uphold discipline and respect for judicial authority, not undermine it. He said the Commissioner’s public comments amounted to an invitation to anarchy, an open challenge to the judiciary, and an affront to constitutional order.
Temokun emphasized that no police officer, including a Commissioner, has the legal authority to declare a citizen wanted without due process or the order of a competent court. He cited Section 215 of the Nigerian Constitution, saying the provision does not grant the police arbitrary powers but instead subjects them to the rule of law and court oversight.
“Section 215 of the Constitution does not confer arbitrary powers; it vests the Police with duties subject to the rule of law and the supervision of the courts,” he stated.
He described the Commissioner’s reliance on that section as a misinterpretation and a mockery of democratic governance, stressing that the Constitution clearly recognizes courts as the ultimate interpreters of the law.
“Any act that undermines a subsisting court order is not policing, it is insurrection against lawful authority,” he said.
Temokun called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to immediately take disciplinary action against CP Jimoh, warning that allowing such impunity to go unchecked would set a dangerous precedent and erode public confidence in the judiciary.
“If this impunity is allowed to stand, it sends a dangerous signal, that the orders of our courts are not worth the paper on which they are written,” he warned.
The lawyer also urged the Lagos Commissioner of Police to purge himself of contempt and desist from actions that undermine the authority of the court or endanger Mr. Sowore’s liberty and safety.
Temokun concluded by stressing that Nigeria cannot claim to be a democracy while police officers publicly disregard court rulings.
“This nation cannot claim to be under democracy while law enforcement officers publicly make statements that cast doubt on the potency of the orders of our courts,” he said.
The statement from Sowore’s legal counsel has further fueled public concern about the growing tension between law enforcement agencies and judicial authority, raising fresh questions about respect for the rule of law in Nigeria.
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