Ex-Ondo lawmaker sues IG over arrest before APC primaries
June 24, 2026 12:05 am
Police emblem. Photo: Police
By Peter Dada
A former member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Mr Ayodeji Arowele, has dragged the Inspector General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force before a court over his alleged arrest shortly before the last House of Representatives primaries of the All Progressives Congress.
Arowele, who was one of the aspirants for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, alleged that he was arrested a few hours before the commencement of the primaries on May 16, 2026, claiming that the action violated his fundamental human rights as guaranteed under Sections 36, 42 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In a copy of the suit made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, the two-term former lawmaker is also seeking N50m in damages for what he described as unlawful arrest.
Joined in the suit brought pursuant to Order 11 (1), (2), (3) and (5) of the Federal High Court Rules are the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, ASP Ebito Ephraim, CSP Hilary Mazi, and Mr Yusuf Sanya Isiaka.
Arowele is asking the court for a declaration that the invasion of his hotel room on May 16, 2026, “in a Gestapo manner” by officers of the Nigeria Police Force was illegal and constituted an infringement on his rights to privacy, personal liberty and human dignity.
He is also seeking: “A declaration that the invasion of the applicant’s hotel room by the officers of the first respondent led by the second and third respondents on the directive of the second respondent and at the instance and on the instigation of the fourth respondent on the guise of investigation is unconstitutional, abuse of power and infringement on the applicant’s right to personal freedom.”
Arowele further prayed for: “A declaration that the continuous threat of arrest of the Applicant by the third and fourth respondents at the instance of the fourth respondent, notwithstanding that the second respondent has transferred the case file to the office of the Area Commander, the Nigerian Police, Owo, under whose jurisdiction the purported assault had occurred, for investigation is ultra vires, unconstitutional and an abuse of power.”
He is also seeking an order restraining the police from further arrest, invitation or harassment over the alleged offence, which he described as double jeopardy and an abuse of power.
In addition to the suit, Arowele also petitioned the Inspector-General of Police over the conduct of officers who allegedly invaded his hotel room on May 16 following a petition against him. He alleged that he had been repeatedly arrested by different police formations over the same matter.
The petition, sighted on Tuesday, read, “Some policemen, numbering about 30, led by one CSP Maxi Hilary and Ebito Ephraim, who claimed to have come from the Inspector-General of Police Response Team, invaded our client’s hotel at Owo in a Gestapo manner without a warrant of arrest and whisked him away.”
It further stated: “Even though our client did not resist the arrest, but only asked for their warrant of arrest, they rough-handled him, brutalised him; in the process, his personal security details, NSCDC operatives, were equally brutalised such that one of them lost his teeth.”
The petition added that he was later released on bail at the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, after about six hours, and was directed to report to the Abuja office after his primary election.
It further stated: “It is instructive to know, sir, that our client was one of the aspirants contesting under the All Progressive Congress for Owo/Ose Federal Constituency in the 2027 General Election. The primary election was ordinarily slated for the same day our client was arrested.”
The petition also alleged that Arowele was later invited to the Area Commander’s office on June 10, 2026, where he was informed that the investigation was ordered by the Inspector-General of Police’s office following a petition filed by Mr Yusuf Sanya Isiaka.
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