Ex-Osun Council Chairman Sues IGP, Former FPRO over Alleged Wanted Notice
Linus Aleke in Abuja
A former Caretaker Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area of Osun State, Babajide Jooda, has instituted a fundamental human rights action against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and a former Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) over his alleged declaration as a wanted person.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, Jooda is seeking N500 million in damages over what he describes as his declaration as wanted on the basis of a purportedly forged court order.
Other respondents in the suit include the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Police Service Commission, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Intelligence Response Team, Abuja, a former Chief Magistrate of Karu, the Registrar of the Chief Magistrate’s Court, Karu, and 11 police officers.
Jooda alleges that the arrest warrant and newspaper advertisements issued in February 2026, which identified him as wanted in connection with allegations including terrorism, unlawful possession of firearms and culpable homicide, were unlawful. He further contends that the court order purportedly relied upon to authorise the publications was not genuine.
Jooda was previously arrested alongside other suspects in connection with the alleged killing of the reinstated Chairman of Irewole Local Government Area, but was subsequently released by the police.
According to Jooda, the police had, on three separate occasions, filed criminal charges against him, but subsequently withdrew the charges. He further stated that his name was removed from subsequent charges and that he was released from custody.
He also claimed that an earlier criminal case filed against him before a Magistrates’ Court in Osun State was later discontinued by the police prosecutors.
In a case filed before an Osun State Magistrates’ Court, with charge number MOS/150/2025 and dated 11 March 2025, Jooda was listed as the first defendant alongside five others.
However, in a subsequent criminal case filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, with charge number FHC/ABJ/CR/170/2025 and dated 15 October 2025, Jooda’s name did not appear among the defendants.
According to a certified true copy of the proceedings of 15 October 2025 cited by Jooda, the prosecution informed the court that it had filed an initial charge and several amended charges and asked the court to strike out the earlier processes and replace them with an amended charge filed on 14 October 2025.
The court granted the application after defence counsel indicated that there was no objection.
Jooda said he was surprised by his subsequent declaration as wanted, given the withdrawal and amendment of the earlier criminal charges. He alleged that the action was politically motivated, although no finding to that effect has been made by the court.
In the motion on notice filed in the fundamental human rights action, Jooda is seeking N250 million in general damages and a further N250 million in exemplary damages. The court documents state that he deposed in his supporting affidavit that he was allegedly subjected to oppression, embarrassment, intimidation and dehumanisation.
Before filing the suit, Jooda had petitioned the Minister of Police Affairs over the publications declaring him wanted. In the petition, he alleged that the publications had damaged his reputation and demanded a public apology as well as N50 million in compensation.
In the petition written by his lawyer, Jooda alleged that the police obtained an arrest warrant from a Chief Magistrates’ Court in the Federal Capital Territory in relation to an alleged offence said to have been committed in Ikire, Osun State.
The petition further alleged that the warrant relied upon for the publication was not genuine and that the document was subsequently used in connection with a Special Police Gazette Bulletin.
The claims contained in Jooda’s petition and court action remain allegations and are subject to judicial determination.
