The legal battle following the alleged extrajudicial killing of four individuals by police officers has taken a fresh turn as representatives of the victims have returned to the Lagos State High Court, seeking an order to compel top federal authorities to comply with a three-year-old judgment.
In a motion on notice filed in suit marked LD/354/MFHR/2014, Akaraka Chinweike Ezeonara and the Ekwulobia Imeobi Obinwanne Youth Association, acting on behalf of the indigent families of the four victims, are seeking an order of Mandamus against the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), described in the application as judgment debtors.
The applicants are asking the court to compel the respondents to take steps to give effect to the judgment delivered in the substantive fundamental rights enforcement proceedings.
The case dates to 2014, when the applicants filed proceedings following the deaths of the four individuals.
The suit was initially struck out on March 9, 2015, by Justice O. A. Ogala, who held that the applicants lacked the legal standing to institute a fundamental rights action on behalf of deceased persons.
Dissatisfied with the decision, the applicants appealed.
On December 15, 2020, the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, set aside the High Court’s decision and directed that the matter be reheard on its merits by another judge.
The appellate court also barred Justice Ogala from further hearing the case.
Following the reassignment of the matter, Justice Olufunke Sule-Amzat eventually heard the case.
On March 15, 2023, the court delivered judgment in favour of the applicants and made orders including the payment of monetary compensation to the victims’ families and disciplinary action against the police officers found culpable.
However, more than three years after the judgment, the applicants say the orders have not been complied with.
In affidavits filed in support of the latest application, Ezeonara stated that several formal demands and reminders were sent to the AGF and the police authorities between April and July 2026.
According to the affidavit, the correspondence was delivered through express courier and acknowledgement receipts showed that the relevant offices received the notices by late July.
The applicants contend that despite the expiration of the statutory 14-day period following service, there had been no compliance with the judgment and no substantive response from the respondents.
They have consequently returned to the High Court seeking judicial intervention to compel implementation of the orders.
The affidavit states that unless the court grants the application for mandamus, the judgment risks remaining unenforced, thereby denying the victims’ families the benefit of the reliefs already granted by the court.
In the motion dated August 17, 2026, the applicants are asking the High Court to make an order of mandamus compelling the AGF to exercise the constitutional powers relied upon by the applicants under Section 174(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution in relation to the necessary consent or fiat for enforcement of the judgment.
They are also asking the court to compel the IGP and the NPF to pay the judgment sum awarded to the bereaved families.
In addition, the applicants want the police authorities to commence the disciplinary proceedings ordered by the court against the officers found responsible in connection with the deaths.
The application is now before the Lagos State High Court for determination.
The respondents are expected to respond to the claims and the reliefs being sought by the applicants when the matter comes up for hearing.
In this article