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 ahead of the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election held last month.
Arowele, who contested the APC primary for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency, alleged that he was arrested a few hours before the commencement of the primary election on May 16, 2026, in violation of his fundamental rights as guaranteed under Sections 36, 42 and 46 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
In the suit, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent on Tuesday, the former two-term lawmaker is seeking N50 million in damages for what he described as an unlawful arrest and infringement of his rights.
The suit, filed pursuant to Order 11 (1), (2), (3) and (5) of the Fundamental Rights Enforcement Procedure Rules through his counsel, Chief Kunle Ijalana, listed the Inspector-General of Police, the Nigeria Police Force, ASP Ebito Ephraim, CSP Hilary Mazi and Mr Yusuf Sanya Isiaka as respondents.
Arowele is asking the court to declare that the invasion of his hotel room on May 16, 2026, by police officers was illegal and amounted to a violation of his rights to privacy, personal liberty and human dignity.
He specifically sought “a declaration that the invasion of the applicant’s hotel room by officers of the first respondent, led by the second and third respondents, on the directive of the second respondent and at the instance of the fourth respondent under the guise of investigation, is unconstitutional, an abuse of power and an infringement on the applicant’s right to personal freedom.”
The claimant also sought a declaration that the alleged continued threat of arrest by the police over the same matter, despite the transfer of the case file to the Area Commander, Owo, for investigation, was unconstitutional and amounted to an abuse of power.
He further asked the court to hold that any further invitation, arrest or threat of arrest in relation to the alleged assault case would constitute double jeopardy and a violation of his right to personal liberty.
Arowele is also seeking a perpetual injunction restraining the police officers involved from further arresting, threatening or inviting him over the allegation.
In addition to the suit, the former lawmaker petitioned the IGP over the conduct of officers who allegedly invaded his hotel room on May 16 following a petition lodged against him.
According to the petition, several police formations had invited or arrested him over the same allegation.
The petition read in part, “Some policemen, numbering about 30 and led by CSP Hilary Mazi and ASP Ebito Ephraim, who claimed to be members of the Inspector-General of Police Response Team, invaded our client’s hotel in Owo in a Gestapo manner without a warrant of arrest and whisked him away.
“Even though our client did not resist arrest and only requested to see a warrant, he was rough-handled and brutalised. In the process, his personal security details, who are operatives of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, were also assaulted, with one of them allegedly losing a tooth.
“However, our client was later released on bail at the office of the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 17, Akure, about six hours after making a statement, and was directed to report to their office in Abuja after the primary election.
“It is instructive to note that our client was one of the aspirants contesting under the All Progressives Congress for the Owo/Ose Federal Constituency seat in the 2027 general elections. The primary election was scheduled to hold on the same day he was arrested.”
