A lawyer, Emmanuel Chinyere Orji, has filed a suit against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over his declaration as a wanted person without obtaining a court order. He is demanding N1 billion in exemplary and general damages.
In a fundamental rights case instituted at the Federal High Court in Lagos, Orji is asking for a ruling that the publication and swift declaration of him as wanted featuring his name and photo in The Nation Newspaper on August 20, 2025, in the Special Police Gazette Bulletin, and on the official police website, without a prior order of a competent court, is unlawful, unconstitutional, and void.
He is urging the court to determine that the action constituted a gross infringement of his rights to liberty, privacy, family life, movement, and protection from inhuman treatment, as guaranteed under Sections 34, 35, 37, 41(1), and 46 of the 1999 Constitution, as well as Articles 6 and 12 of the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights, ratified into law by the National Assembly.
Orji further seeks a declaration that the IGP lacks authority to declare him wanted without first securing a judicial order. Through his legal team led by Edwin Anikwem (SAN), he also applied for an order nullifying the publications.
Additionally, The Nation reported the lawyer 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 also demands N500 million in exemplary damages and another N500 million in general damages.
Orji asked for an injunction to restrain the respondent and his agents from further encroaching on his rights regarding the subject of the suit. He argued that since he has never been tried or convicted for any offence, nor ever jumped bail, he cannot be declared wanted by administrative decision without a court order.
In a supporting affidavit, Stephen Adekpe, a litigation officer in the applicant’s counsel’s law firm, confirmed that Orji is a lawyer with over two decades of legal practice. He added that Orji is currently abroad for treatment of a spinal cord condition.
He noted that Orji has represented companies and individuals with diligence and integrity, but the police publication now portrays him as a fugitive.
Adekpe stated: “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.”
In his affidavit, Adekpe argued that unless stopped by a court order, the police would keep circulating the unlawful publication against Orji.
He maintained that the lawyer deserves compensation in both exemplary and general damages, along with a public apology, stressing that no amount of money could truly repair the harm already done to Orji’s personal reputation and professional standing.
