Appeal Court Upholds N5 Million Damages Against Police

The Appeal Court in Lagos upheld a Federal High Court ruling that awarded Kola Sodiya N5 million in damages against the Inspector General of Police and two police officers for violating his constitutional rights. The unanimous judgment, delivered on July 10, 2026, by a three-member panel led by Justice Yargata Byenchit Nimpar, dismissed the appeal filed by the police.

The case stemmed from Sodiya's arrest at 5:30 AM on allegations of forgery and falsification of documents concerning a property located at No. 1 Banjoko Street, Harmony Estate, Ifako Gbagada, Lagos. The police argued that the arrest was justified under their statutory powers; however, the court found that the police failed to establish reasonable suspicion of criminal conduct.

The court noted that Sodiya's arrest occurred despite an existing civil suit regarding the property and previous legal advice indicating the matter was civil in nature. Consequently, the court ruled that Sodiya's arrest and detention violated his rights, holding the police officers liable for abuse of power.