Police Appeal Court Ruling on Businessman Hameed Tajudeen's Rights
- The Inspector General of Police and two other parties filed a notice of appeal at the Court of Appeal in Lagos challenging a judgment over Alhaji Hameed Tajudeen's arrest
- The police argued that Tajudeen had fled to the Benin Republic, prompting INTERPOL's involvement, and that the alleged offence did not require a warrant
- The appellants cited a Supreme Court ruling on national security to challenge the trial court's finding that a court order was needed before declaring a suspect wanted
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The Inspector General of Police, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and the Police Service Commission have appealed a High Court ruling that held the police liable for violating the fundamental rights of a businessman, Alhaji Hameed Tajudeen.
The notice of appeal, filed at the Court of Appeal in Lagos on Wednesday, July 2026, asks the appellate court to set aside the judgment delivered by Justice O. L. Alebiosu of the Ikeja Judicial Division on August 7, 2026, in Suit No: ID/ADR/21447MFHR/2026.
Source: Twitter
What Led to the Ruling
In a statement made available to Legit.ng, the police, in their filing, said they obtained a remand order from a Magistrate Court in Ogba, Ikeja, on February 16, 2026, under Charge No: MIK/60A/2026, which authorised Tajudeen's arrest and 14-day detention while investigations were ongoing.
The appellants challenged the lower court's finding that they declared Tajudeen wanted without obtaining a court order first.
They argued the declaration was made to protect lives and property, and fell within constitutional exceptions that allow the state to limit individual rights in the interest of public safety.
The police further maintained that Tajudeen could not be located because he had fled to the Benin Republic, which led to INTERPOL's involvement in securing his arrest. They also contended that the nature of the alleged offence, described in the filing as a felony and a capital offence, did not require a warrant for an arrest to be lawful.
Police Cite Supreme Court Precedent
To support their position, the appellants pointed to the Supreme Court decision in Alhaji Mujahid Dokubo-Asari v. Federal Republic of Nigeria (2007) 12 NWLR (Pt. 1048) 320, which established that where national security is at stake, individual rights must be balanced against the broader interest of the public and the survival of the state.
The police faulted the trial court for failing to properly account for Tajudeen's alleged evasion when it granted the fundamental rights reliefs in his favour.
The appellants are represented by Audu Augustine Enenche SAN, alongside A. Isola-Osobu, Nneka Hellene Uba, Kenneth Akaanyor, and Raymond Pila of Lawlinks Legal Practitioners. Tajudeen's interests are represented by Abraham Akaakaa.
No hearing date has been assigned to the appeal.
Don’t surrender to bandits, IGP Disu tells Kwarans
Earlier in another story, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Rilwan Disu, has urged residents of Kwara state not to abandon their communities in the face of rising bandit attacks, assuring them that security forces will reclaim affected areas.
The police chief gave the assurance on Monday, March 9, during a visit to the state, where he met with security commanders, traditional leaders and other stakeholders to assess the security situation and ongoing operations against criminal groups
Source: Legit.ng
