In a powerful statement on Twitter today, activist Omoyele Sowore celebrated his recent court victory against the Commissioner of Police of Lagos State and the Inspector-General of Police. Sowore highlighted that this marks the third time Nigerian courts have awarded damages in his favour against the Federal Government.
He referenced a previous ruling by Justice Anwuli Chikere of the Federal High Court, which awarded him damages after the Department of State Services (DSS) illegally seized his phones during his unlawful arrest in 2019 over the #RevolutionNow movement. Despite the judgment, Sowore stated that the DSS has neither paid the damages nor returned the confiscated devices.
Sowore also recalled another case where Justice Egwuatu awarded damages against the DSS for abducting him inside a courtroom, an act he described as an affront to judicial authority. He lamented that to this day, the DSS has not complied with the judgment or returned his property.
He expressed frustration at how these institutions rush to the media to demand obedience to court orders while routinely disregarding judicial decisions themselves. “If the government expects citizens to honour judicial pronouncements, it must first demonstrate that it is not above the law,” he stated, condemning selective obedience to court orders as a sign of institutional hypocrisy and decadence.
Sowore made it clear that he intends to enforce all court judgments in his favour and will use the debt to support the poor in Nigeria. “I must collect this debt!” he declared, emphasising that any funds recovered will be redirected to those in need, including residents of Oworonshoki whose homes were demolished, retired police officers, neglected teachers, student activists facing repression, and others suffering from state injustice.
This latest court victory and Sowore’s commitment to advocate for the vulnerable reflect his ongoing fight for justice and accountability in Nigeria.
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