Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
An Enugu-based journalist and founder of Glintnews Publications has dragged the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, and the Officer-in-Charge of the state's Anti-Kidnapping Unit to the Federal High Court in Enugu over what he describes as a clandestine plot to arrest him without due process or any formal notification of an offence. David Chinwendu Ani, who is also a former House of Representatives candidate of the African Democratic Congress, filed the fundamental rights enforcement suit marked FHC/EN//2026 through his legal team led by Maxwell K. Orah, seeking a declaration that the alleged attempts by police operatives to apprehend him without issuing a formal invitation constitute a gross violation of his constitutional rights to life, dignity, personal liberty, freedom of movement, and fair hearing as guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution.
According to the suit, which lists the Inspector-General of Police as the first respondent, followed by the Police Service Commission, the Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, and the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Ani is asking the court to compel the police authorities to issue him a formal invitation if necessary, instead of resorting to what he describes as surreptitious moves to arrest him. He further requests an order directing the police to disclose any offence for which he is allegedly being investigated or invited for questioning. Ani is also seeking an injunction restraining the respondents from arresting him unless he is first served with an official invitation stating the allegations against him and allowing him to appear with a lawyer or trusted relatives. Additionally, he is demanding N10 million in damages for the alleged violation of his fundamental rights.
In the grounds supporting his application, Ani alleged that the Commissioner of Police and the Officer-in-Charge of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit had been making surreptitious moves to arrest him without informing him of any offence or issuing a formal invitation. According to the journalist, these actions have left him in constant fear for his liberty, freedom of movement, and the safety of himself and his family. Ani maintained that he is entitled to a fair hearing before being treated as a criminal, insisting that the police should notify him in writing of any allegations against him before inviting him for questioning.
This legal action follows a public statement Ani issued earlier, in which he raised alarm over what he described as intensified efforts by the Nigeria Police Force Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Enugu State to track him down despite the absence of any known criminal allegation against him. On June 13, 2026, Ani alleged that credible sources had informed him that officers attached to the unit had been making inquiries about his whereabouts and that some of his associates had been arrested and interrogated over information concerning his location. He further alleged that security operatives had received intelligence suggesting that he intended to travel to Abuja through the Akanu Ibiam International Airport and subsequently deployed personnel to monitor the airport with the aim of intercepting him.
Ani has consistently maintained that he has committed no offence and described himself as a law-abiding citizen engaged in journalism, security analysis, entrepreneurship, and public advocacy. He said he attempted to contact the Commander of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, SP Chukwu Odum, to determine whether there was any official investigation involving him, but claimed that his efforts did not produce any meaningful response. He reiterated his willingness to cooperate with law enforcement agencies if there were legitimate concerns regarding his activities, stating that the police have the constitutional powers to issue an official invitation and that he would honour such an invitation without hesitation.
The case has drawn attention to the recurring challenges facing journalists and media practitioners in Nigeria, where arbitrary arrests, harassment, and intimidation by security agencies have been well-documented. The International Press Institute Nigeria has repeatedly urged the police leadership to end all forms of harassment and unlawful detention of journalists and to review pending cases targeting media professionals for carrying out legitimate duties. The suit filed by Ani represents a significant legal challenge to what he perceives as a pattern of police overreach and abuse of power, and the outcome could have far-reaching implications for the protection of press freedom and the rule of law in Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigeria Police Force had not issued an official response to the lawsuit. The Federal High Court in Enugu is expected to hear the matter in due course. For Ani, the case is about more than just his personal safety; it is about establishing a legal precedent that no Nigerian citizen, journalist or otherwise, should be subjected to arbitrary arrest or intimidation without due process. As he declared in his public statement, "The police have the constitutional powers to issue an official invitation, and I will honour such an invitation without hesitation. But I will not be hounded like a fugitive when I have committed no crime."
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