The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) to present officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) found culpable in the 2017 abduction and disappearance of Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie for prosecution.
The court, in a judgment delivered on September 24, 2025, in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/865/2025, Mrs. Nnenna Anozie v. Inspector General of Police, also directed the IGP to furnish Mrs. Anozie, the victim’s wife, with copies of the investigation reports and case file relating to her husband’s abduction.
The Court further ordered the IGP to forward the entire case file and investigation report to the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and hand over the indicted officers for immediate prosecution.
In addition, the court awarded N2 million in damages against the IGP for violating Mrs. Anozie’s right to access information under the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2011, following the police’s failure to respond to her formal request for the investigation reports.
Abduction And Cover-Up By SARS Operatives
Mr. John Chukwuemeka Anozie was reportedly abducted on June 17, 2017, from his residence in Lekki, Lagos, by SARS operatives from Awkuzu, Anambra State. The officers allegedly took away two SUVs, briefcases containing local and foreign currencies, ATM cards, and the passports of his wife and children.
Despite an Anambra State High Court order directing the police to either release or charge him to court, Anozie was never arraigned. The police later claimed he died in custody during interrogation, but failed to comply with a subsequent court order to release his body for burial.
Police Indictment Ignored
Following a 2019 petition to the IGP by Mrs. Anozie, an internal investigation reportedly indicted several officers.
The then Officer-in-Charge of Legal at Force Headquarters, Mr. Tuesday Emienbo, had, in his legal opinion, recommended that ASP Anthony Obiozor Ikechukwu, SP Sunday Okpe, and Sgt. Uzochukwu Emeana, John Eze, and Oriole (a.k.a. T-Boy) should be prosecuted. However, no action was taken.
The matter later came before the EndSARS Investigative Panel between 2020 and 2022. The panel summoned Mr. Ochogwu Ogbeh, then Commissioner of Police (Legal), to produce the case file, but he ignored the order even though a warrant of arrest was issued against him.
Renewed Petitions And Legal Battle
In 2023, the law firm of Falana & Falana petitioned the IGP to reopen the investigation, but the request was ignored.
Left with no other option, Mrs. Anozie, through her lawyer, Vincent Adodo, filed an FOI request demanding copies of the investigation report, case file, and legal opinion for onward transmission to the AGF.
When the police again failed to respond, she approached the Federal High Court in Abuja. Despite being served with court processes and hearing notices, the police failed to appear to defend the suit.
The court consequently granted all the reliefs sought by the applicant, holding that the IGP’s failure to provide the requested information amounted to a breach of her statutory right under the FOI Act.