Committal proceedings seeking to send the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to prison for alleged contempt were adjourned on Tuesday after judicial intervention at the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The action was instituted by Mrs. Nnena Anozie, wife of Mr. John Anozie, who was reportedly abducted from his Lekki residence in Lagos on June 15, 2017, by officers allegedly attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Akwuzu, Anambra State.
At the resumed hearing on February 17, 2026, Mrs. Anozie’s counsel, Vincent Adodo, reviewed the case history, including two separate orders of the Anambra State High Court directing the police to either charge Mr. Anozie to court or release him unconditionally. Another order had directed the police to release his remains for burial following claims that he died in custody.
Counsel further informed the court that an investigation conducted in 2018 by the IGP X-Squad, following a petition by Mrs. Anozie, allegedly indicted four officers — ASP Anthony Ikechukwu Obiozor, Sgt. Emeana Uzozhukwu, SP Sunday Okpe, and others — over the incident. The probe reportedly uncovered evidence that substantial withdrawals were made from Mr. Anozie’s bank account days after his arrest.
Despite a legal opinion by a former Commissioner of Police in charge of Legal recommending dismissal and prosecution of the officers, the suspects were not arraigned. A subsequent petition filed in 2023 by Falana and Falana Chambers led to a reopening of the investigation by the IGP Monitoring Unit.
Frustrated by the lack of prosecution, Mrs. Anozie filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act, 2011, seeking certified true copies of the investigative reports and the legal opinion, as well as the transfer of the indicted officers to the office of the Attorney General of the Federation for prosecution. Following the police authorities’ failure to comply, she instituted Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/865/2025 — Mrs. Nnena Anozie v. Inspector General of Police — at the Federal High Court.
On September 24, 2025, Justice B.F.M. Nyako ruled in her favour, ordering the IGP to release the requested documents to Mrs. Anozie and the Attorney General of the Federation, and awarded ₦2 million in damages against the police.
However, alleging non-compliance with the judgment despite service of Form 48 and subsequently Form 49, Mrs. Anozie initiated contempt proceedings seeking the committal of the IGP to Kuje Correctional Centre.
At Tuesday’s hearing, Stanley Nwodo, counsel to the IGP, confirmed receipt of the judgment and informed the court that a counter-affidavit had been filed in opposition to the committal application.
After hearing submissions and listening to Mrs. Anozie’s account, Justice Nyako indicated willingness to intervene in the matter to achieve a substantive resolution. The court subsequently adjourned the contempt proceedings to April 23, 2026, for further hearing.
