OSSIEC sues IG over Staff arrests,.

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 By Victor Olubiye


   In a dramatic legal showdown, the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) and its chairman, Hashim Abioye, have dragged the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to court over what they describe as a brazen assault on democracy.


   The lawsuit, filed at the Federal High Court in Osogbo under case number FHC/OS/CS/41/2025, also targets the Osun State Commissioner of Police, accusing the law enforcement authorities of unlawfully detaining OSSIEC staff and sealing off the commission’s office.


   The plaintiffs are demanding an immediate halt to police interference, the release of detained officials, and a staggering N2 billion in damages for what they call a “flagrant violation” of their fundamental human rights.


   According to court documents signed by their counsel, Maruf Adediran, the police’s actions amount to an attack on liberty and democracy itself. 

   The lawsuit argues that the forceful closure of the OSSIEC office and the intimidation of its staff were illegal, particularly following the peaceful local government elections held on February 22, 2025.


   The plaintiffs are urging the court to issue a restraining order preventing the police from any further interference and to compel them to vacate the premises immediately.


   “The defendants were not justified in invading and sealing off the plaintiffs’ office and threatening to arrest OSSIEC staff in blatant disregard of their rights,” the suit states, citing provisions from Chapter IV of the Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.


   Tensions have been running high in Osun following the controversial local government elections conducted by OSSIEC, with political forces clashing over the legitimacy of the process.

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