Lawyer Sues IGP for Declaring Him Wanted, Demands N1b for Damages

A legal practitioner, Emmanuel Chinyere Orji, has sued the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun for unlawfully declaring him wanted without a court order, seeking N1billion naira in exemplary and general damages.

Barrister Orji in a fundamental human rights suit at the Federal High Court in Lagos, is praying for a declaration that the publication and hasty declaration of him as a wanted person with his name and photo published in The Nation Newspaper on August 20, 2025, Special Police Gazette Bulletin and official website of the police without any prior order or leave of a court of competent jurisdiction is illegal, unconstitutional, null and void; as records have it that he has never been tried or convicted of any criminal offence in any court of law, nor has he ever jumped bail for any offence in Nigeria; therefore, he cannot be declared wanted by administrative fiat without any prior order or leave of court.

He in the foregoing is urging the court to hold that the publication amounted to a gross violation of his fundamental rights to personal liberty, private and family life, freedom of movement and rights not to be subjected to inhuman treatment as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 37, 41(1) and 46 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights as ratified and domesticated by the National Assembly.

‎Orji is equally asking the court to declare that the IG lacks the statutory power to declare him a wanted person without first obtaining an order from a court of competent jurisdiction, hence he sought an order quashing the publications through his legal team led by Edwin Anikwem (SAN).

‎The applicant also sought an order directing the IG to publish an apology to him for the illegal, unconstitutional and gross violation of his fundamental rights in the publication and hasty declaration of him as a wanted person.

He sought an order awarding him N500million naira only as exemplary damages for the flagrant violation of his rights, and another N500million naira only as general damages.

Orji at the same time, sought an order of injunction restraining the respondent or his agents from further infringing or violating his constitutionally guaranteed rights with respect to the subject matter of the suit.

‎In a supporting affidavit, a litigation officer in the applicant’s counsel’s law firm, Stephen Adekpe, who testified that the applicant is presently outside the country to treat a spinal cord issue, stated that Barrister Orji is a legal practitioner of over 20 years standing who has not only represented companies and individuals but has always discharged his obligations diligently and dutifully, noting that declaring the applicant a wanted person makes him a fugitive from the law.

Adekpe added: “Any person who knows about the fact of the applicant being declared wanted has a right to arrest him.


“Arresting the applicant will lead to his liberty being constrained.

“The applicant is not aware of any order against him from a court of competent jurisdiction that would warrant the respondent to publish Exhibit A (wanted declaration) against him.

“The respondent has not followed the provisions of the law with regard to declaring persons wanted.

‎”If the respondent is not restrained by an order of this Honourable Court, the respondent shall continue to circulate the unlawful and illegal publication.

“The applicant is entitled to be indemnified in both exemplary and general damages, and most importantly, an apology from the respondent.

“No amount of damages can compensate for the damage the Respondent has done to the Applicant’s reputation personally and in the practice of his profession.”