The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory in Abuja has granted interim injunctions restraining activist, Omoyele Sowore, and Sahara Reporters from further publishing alleged defamatory statements against the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, and two other senior police officers.

The restraint also included an allegation that N100m was received from Anambra State security votes.

According to the court documents obtained by our correspondent on Thursday, Justice J.O.E. Adeyemi-Ajayi granted the orders on Wednesday following separate ex parte motions filed by the claimants.

In Suit No. CV/593/26, filed by Victor Egbetokun, the court restrained the defendants from further publishing what it described as “defamatory and derogatory statements” against the claimant, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.

The enrolled order specifically directed that the defendants were restrained from further publishing or stating “degrading and defamatory statements against the claimant/applicant that he received the sum of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) from Anambra State security votes in Sahara Reporters and/or any other media outlet pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

In a separate suit, CV/594/26, instituted by the IGP, the court ordered that the defendants “are hereby restrained from making any publications concerning the claimant, his office and/or family members or on such other matters relating to the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice.”

Similarly, in Suit No. CV/592/26, ACP Bukola Kuti secured an interim injunction restraining the defendants from publishing alleged defamatory statements concerning her.

The court held that the defendants, “jointly and severally, including their privies, servants, agents and assigns, or anyone acting through them, are hereby restrained from publishing defamatory and derogatory statements pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice.”

All three motions were moved by Chief Ayotunde Ogunleye (SAN), pursuant to Section 6(6) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and relevant provisions of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (Civil Procedure) Rules 2025.

Justice Adeyemi-Ajayi subsequently adjourned the matters till April 14 for the hearing of the motions on notice.

When contacted on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed the development.

He said, “This step had to be taken because the defendants, over time, have published a series of defamatory and derogatory claims based on fabricated falsehood against the person, office, immediate staff, members of the family of the Inspector General of Police, as well as the Nigeria Police Force.”

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