Ayobami Agboola 
The Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC), alongside Chairman Hashim Abioye, has filed a lawsuit against the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and the Commissioner of Police Muhammad Abba over alleged breach of fundamental rights and unjustifiable arrest of its ad hoc staff during Saturday’s local government election.
The plaintiffs demanded the sum of N2 billion as damages against the police chiefs for allegedly harassing, intimidating and detaining some OSSIEC ad hoc staff for “committing no offence”.
In the suit at the Federal High Court Osogbo, they accused Egbetokun and Abba of breach and continuing breach of their fundamental rights, illegal arrest and detention, and unlawful sealing of the commission premises.
They also accused the defendants of threat of further arrest and detention, and illegal seizure of the commission’s property, which included ballot boxes, and papers among other sensitive materials.
Maruf Adeniran, lawyer for the plaintiffs, sought “an order directing the defendants to immediately vacate and unseal the plaintiffs’ office premises and immediate release of the plaintiffs’ staff arrested by the defendants in relation to the peaceful, free and fair election con – ducted by the plaintiffs on 22nd February 2025”.
