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The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, on Monday reserved judgment in a fundamental rights suit filed by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) against the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission over the alleged unlawful disruption of the February 22, 2025, local government elections in the state.
Presiding Judge, Honourable Justice A.A. Demi-Ajayi, fixed November 17, 2025, for the delivery of judgment after hearing arguments from counsels representing both parties. The judge informed the court that the date for the verdict in the suit marked FHC/OS/CS/41/2025 would be duly communicated to the parties.
OSSIEC and its Chairman, Barrister Hashim Abioye, who are the plaintiffs in the matter, had approached the court to challenge what they described as the unlawful sealing off of the Commission’s headquarters and offices across Osun State by the police, a few hours before the scheduled local government elections.
The plaintiffs also accused the police of threatening to arrest the Commission’s chairman and detaining some of its ad-hoc staff, actions they claimed violated their fundamental rights to liberty, dignity, and property as guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
In the suit, the Commission urged the court to declare the police’s actions as illegal, unconstitutional, and a breach of its independence, maintaining that the planned local government elections had received judicial approval after satisfying all legal requirements regarding the existence of vacancies across the 30 local government areas of the state.
The plaintiffs described the police’s conduct as “a direct affront on the judiciary” and are seeking ₦2 billion in aggravated damages against the Inspector-General of Police and the Police Service Commission. They also prayed the court to restrain the police and its agents from interfering with the Commission’s lawful duties.
However, the defendants, through a counter-affidavit deposed to by Inspector Ogunmokun Abiodun, admitted sealing off OSSIEC offices and arresting some staff members but claimed the action was a preventive measure taken to forestall the Commission from committing what they described as “an electoral offence.”
The police maintained that their actions were not arbitrary, arguing that they acted on “credible suspicion” of activities that might have contravened the Electoral Act and other applicable laws. They further urged the court to dismiss the suit, describing it as frivolous and unfounded.
The Police also denied any allegation of partisanship, insisting that all steps taken were within their constitutional mandate to maintain peace, law, and order.
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