Woman Drags IGP, PSC, Okoro, Others to Court Over Alleged Night Raids, Rights Abuse in Abia

A Nigerian woman, Janny Linda Ozochi, has filed a fundamental rights enforcement suit before the Federal High Court sitting in Umuahia, accusing the Nigeria Police Force and five others of unlawful invasion, arrest, intimidation and violation of her constitutional rights.

In the suit, Ozochi named as respondents the Nigeria Police Force, the Police Service Commission, the Inspector General of Police, the Assistant Inspector General of Police Zone 9, the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, and one Mr. Promise Uzoma Okoro.

The applicant alleged that officers acting on the instructions of the respondents stormed her residence in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State at about 10:00 p.m. on May 16, 2026, without invitation, warrant or lawful justification.

According to the court documents, the officers allegedly broke doors within the residence, arrested Ozochi alongside her minor children and confiscated her mobile phone as well as two educational tablets belonging to the children.

She claimed the incident stemmed from political disagreements and exchanges on Facebook between her and the sixth respondent, describing the matter as purely civil and political.

Ozochi further told the court that before the incident, solicitors to the sixth respondent had issued her a demand letter over alleged defamation and cyberbullying, which she said her lawyers responded to by denying any malicious intent.

The applicant alleged that despite the civil nature of the dispute, the police resorted to intimidation, harassment and unlawful detention, causing emotional trauma and psychological distress to her children.

She also claimed she was released only after the intervention of a lawmaker representing her constituency in Bende Local Government Area.

In the suit brought under the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009, Ozochi is seeking several reliefs, including declarations that the invasion, arrest and seizure of her property violated her constitutional rights to dignity, liberty, privacy and freedom of movement.

She is also asking the court to order the immediate release of her seized phone and the children’s tablets, restrain the respondents from further harassment or arrest, and compel them to issue a written apology.

The applicant is equally demanding ₦500 million as general, aggravated and exemplary damages for the alleged violation of her fundamental rights and the trauma suffered by her family.

The matter is yet to be assigned a hearing date.