Senior officials of the Osun State Government have instituted legal action against the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Police Force at the Federal High Court in Osogbo over alleged violation of their fundamental rights.
The suit, filed on Friday, lists the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi; the Governor’s spokesperson, Olawale Rasheed; and several other senior media aides as applicants.
The government officials are seeking the enforcement of their fundamental rights, accusing law enforcement authorities of harassment, intimidation, and issuing threats that have disrupted their ability to perform official duties.
In court documents, the applicants alleged that operatives aligned with the All Progressives Congress (APC) have made repeated attempts to use the police to suppress and intimidate officials in the state’s media unit.
They claim to have faced threats of arrest and detention, describing these actions as violations of their constitutional rights. The officials pointed to recent arrests and what they termed ongoing threats from some police officers as justification for seeking judicial intervention.
With the August 8 governorship election approaching, the applicants argue that the legal action has become necessary to prevent further infringements on their rights. They maintain that the police actions are politically motivated and intended to silence state officials ahead of the polls.
An affidavit supporting the suit was sworn by Hezekiah Oladele Olabamiji, a Senior Special Assistant to the governor. In the document, Olabamiji accused the police of collaborating with unnamed politicians, particularly APC members, to arrest, harass, and intimidate Osun State officials.
The applicants contend that such conduct violates their fundamental rights as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.
