A senior lawyer, Chief Aigbonosimuan Gabriel Giwa-Amu has prayed a Federal High Court, Lagos, to restrain the Inspector-General of Police and its officers from inviting him to Abuja for interrogation over a land matter in Lagos.
According the lawyer, the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by his counsel, Monday J. Uleyo, is pursuant To Order 3 Rules 6 and 9 of the Federal High Court civil procedure rules 2019, section 6(6) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and under the inherent jurisdiction of the honourable court.
Listed as first to fifth defendants in the suit marked FHC/L/CS/203/2025, are: “the Nigeria Police Force; the Inspector General Of Police; the Deputy Inspector General Of Police; CP Patrick Daaor, Commissioner of Police (Admin) and Police Detective Nzota, all of Force Intelligence Department [FID], Force Headquarters, Area 11, Garki, Abuja.
The applicant who also a human Rights activist is seeking the determination of the following: “Whether from the provisions of the Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), the 1st & 2nd defendants, being a creation of statute empowered to supervise, control, manage and superintend the 3rd, 4th & 5th Defendants, can and did lawfully issue a lawful directive/standing Order on the 4th day of February, 2025, prohibiting the 3rd, 4th & 5th Defendants and all other officers and men of the 1st Defendant from the issuance of “Investigation Activities Police Invitation” and transferring Police Investigations from states to the Federal Capital Territory without the authority of the 1st & 2nd Defendants.
“Whether the issuance and service on the Plaintiff of Investigation Activities – Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026 by the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants, seeking to transfer or invest gate a matter outside the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja where their office is situate, contravenes the Directives/Standing Orders of the Inspector General of Police made on the 4th day of February, 2025.
Should the above questions be answered in affirmative, the plaintiff seeks the following reliefs: “a declaration that the issuance and service of Investigation Activities, Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026 by the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants on him contravenes the directives/standing Orders of the Inspector General of Police made on the 4th day of February, 2025, and thus null and void.
“A declaration that all actions, proceedings, processes, orders made pursuant to Investigation Activities — Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026, and the complaint upon which same is based is a nullity as ultra-vires the Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“An order of Perpetual Injunction against the 3rd, 4th and 5th defendants from commencing, proceedings or further proceeding with any proceedings, pursuant to Investigation Activities, Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026 or any complaint thereunder, except under the provisions the Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“An order prohibiting the 3rd, 4th & 5th defendants from carrying into effect, any directives/standing orders or orders made pursuant to Investigation Activities – Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026, except under the provisions the Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).”
Parts of aveerments in affidavit in support of the application read: “that I am the person referred to as “Barr. Giwa Amu 09163591750” Investigation Activities -Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10 February, 2026.
“That I am resident in Lagos State and at all material times related to this suit, I have been so resident at the above captioned address. And that Iam a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“That on the 11th day of February, 2026, 1 was called by the 5th Defendant at about 2:00pm and informed me and I verily believe him that I have a Police Invitation to be served on me. And that I requested to know from the 5th defendant from which office he was calling and where I was expected to report to pursuant to the purported Police Invitation, as I am resident in Lagos.
“That the 5th defendant informed me and I verily believe that the 5th Defendant is a Police Officer under the direct supervision of the 3rd and 4th defendants and overall supervision, operational control and management of the 1st and 2nd defendants.
“That 5th defendant informed me and I verily believe that he would serve me the Investigation Activities – Police Invitation with Ref No. CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10 February, 2026 via my WhatsApp number 09163591750, which he did at 3:00pm on the 11th day of February, 2026.
“That upon receipt of the said Investigation Activities, Police Invitation with Ref No, CR: 3000/FID/ABJ/TF/VOL.66/217 dated 10th February, 2026, I promptly called the 5th defendant to protest the Abuja venue for me to attend to the police investigation on 4 [four] grounds: ‘that there is a binding Directive/Standing Order of mandatory nature issued by the Inspector General of Police dated the 4th day of February, 2025, prohibiting the transfer of matters for investigation to Abuja, except with an express permission of his office, which was absent in this case. Attached herein is a copy of the satd Directive/Standing Order signed by ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, mnipr, mipra, fCAI, and marked Exhibit AG2.
‘That as a result of ill-health, travelling to Abuja to attend to a police invitation when the matters alleged can be investigated in Lagos is/ was too much of a burden to take on.
‘That in view of the insecurity precedent in Nigeria, it is unsafe for me to travel such long distance. And that I do not have the money to expend on such expensive trip.
“That in spite of my protest, the 5th defendant, purported to acting on the instructions of the 3rd and 4th defendants, demanded my strict attendance, pursuant to which I forwarded a copy of the Directive/Standing Order of the Inspector General of Police dated the 4° day of February, 2025 to him for his attention and compliance.
“That to my shock, the 5th defendant responded in a threatening matter, stating that my attendance is mandatory. And that except the Orders prayed for herein are granted, the defendants shall be in breach of the provisions of the Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“That I have approached this Honourable Court for interpretation of the said Directive/Standing Order of the Inspector General of Police dated the 4th day of February, 2025, Police Act and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered), and for same to be dealt with in accordance with the law.”
While no date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit, the defendants are yet to file any response despite being served with all processes in the suit.