The Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo has fixed November 17, 2025, for judgment in the fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Police Service Commission (PSC) over the alleged unlawful disruption of the February 22, 2025, local government election in the state.
Justice A.A. Demi-Ajayi fixed the date after listening to final arguments from counsel representing both parties. The judge informed the court that the date for judgment in the case, FHC/OS/CS/41/2025, would be formally communicated to all parties.
OSSIEC and its Chairman, Barrister Hashim Abioye, who are the plaintiffs in the case, accused the Police of unlawfully sealing off the Commission’s Headquarters and other offices across Osun State just hours before the scheduled polls. They also cited threats to arrest the OSSIEC Chairman and the subsequent arrest of several ad-hoc staff members engaged for the election.
The plaintiffs argued that the Police actions violated their fundamental rights to liberty, privacy, dignity, and property as guaranteed under Chapter IV of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
They urged the court to declare the Police actions as illegal and politically motivated, describing the disruption as an affront to judicial authority since a court had earlier validated OSSIEC’s conduct of the local government elections after confirming the existence of vacancies in all 30 local councils.
OSSIEC is seeking N2 billion in aggravated damages and a perpetual injunction restraining the IGP or any of his agents from interfering with the Commission’s lawful activities.
However, the Police, in a counter-affidavit deposed to by Inspector Ogunmokun Abiodun, admitted sealing off the Commission’s offices and arresting some officials but maintained that the action was a “preemptive move to prevent a breach of the law.”
The Police denied any partisanship, insisting that their actions were guided by credible intelligence and carried out within the bounds of constitutional and statutory duties.
They urged the court to dismiss the suit as frivolous, arguing that OSSIEC exaggerated the incident and misrepresented the Police’s lawful efforts to maintain peace and order. The judgment on the highly contentious case is now expected on November
17, 2025.
