Human rights activist and publisher of Sahara Reporters, Omoyele Sowore, says the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh, have yet to comply with a Federal High Court judgment awarding him N30 million in damages.
Gatekeepers News reports that in a post on X on Monday, Sowore alleged that the police authorities were ignoring the court’s directive.
“CP Moshood Jimoh of the Lagos State Police Command and the Nigeria Police Force have yet to comply with a Federal High Court judgment ordering them to pay me ₦30 million in damages for illegally and unlawfully declaring me ‘WANTED’,” he wrote.
Last Friday, the Federal High Court in Lagos ruled that the police commissioner acted unlawfully by declaring Sowore wanted in November 2025.
Justice Musa Kakaki, the trial judge, held that the declaration violated Sowore’s fundamental human rights. The court subsequently awarded N30 million in damages against the Lagos police commissioner and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP).
On November 3, 2025, the Lagos police command had declared Sowore wanted over an alleged public disturbance after he joined a protest against demolitions in the Oworonshoki community of Lagos State.
The police accused him of instigating unrest, claiming there was no basis for the protest as the state government had compensated those affected by the demolitions.
What the Law Says
Despite the court’s ruling, the payment of judgment debts by government agencies is governed by statutory provisions.
Under the Sheriffs and Civil Process Act, enforcement of judgment debts against government institutions must follow a laid-down process.
The Attorney-General of the Federation must first approve the payment. Thereafter, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is required to authorise the deduction of the amount from the agency’s accounts.
Legal observers note that the legislation makes it challenging for victims of fundamental human rights violations to recover judgment debts, even after securing favourable court rulings.
Recently, the Senate began moves to amend the law to ease the enforcement process.
