Osun Court Summons CBN Over Police N100.1m Judgment Debt

The Nigerian judiciary has once again demonstrated its role in holding powerful institutions accountable, as evidenced by the Federal High Court's summons to the Central Bank of Nigeria in Osogbo. The case, brought by the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission (OSSIEC) and its chairman, Hasim Abioye, highlights a significant judgment debt of N100.1 million against the Nigeria Police Force and its leadership.

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AN ORDER NISI directing the Garnishee to show cause why the amount standing to the credit of the Judgment Debtors or so much of it that is enough to pay the outstanding judgment debt of N100,000,000.00 (One Hundred Million Naira Only) and cost of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira Only) in the Judgment Debtors’ account(s)... should not be paid over to the Judgment Creditors in satisfaction of the judgment of this court delivered on 17th day of November, 2025...

As reported by The Punch, the court's directive to the CBN to show cause why the police's account should not be frozen is a critical step in enforcing the judgment. The original ruling by Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi found the police's actions to halt the February 2025 local government election in Osun State, including sealing OSSIEC offices and arresting staff, to be unlawful. This underscores a pattern of overreach that the courts are now addressing.

From our perspective, this legal battle is not just about a monetary debt; it's about the rule of law and the integrity of electoral processes in Nigeria. The fact that a state electoral body had to pursue legal avenues to recover damages awarded by a court speaks volumes about the challenges in ensuring accountability for security forces. The police's failure to present any legal justification for their actions, as noted by the judge, further strengthens OSSIEC's case.

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the sealing of the Osun State Independent Electoral Commission, OSSIEC, offices and the arrest of its staff were unlawful.

This situation is particularly resonant in Nigeria, where the actions of law enforcement agencies often draw public scrutiny. The court's intervention, compelling the CBN to act as a garnishee, is a crucial mechanism for ensuring that judgments are not rendered meaningless. It reinforces the principle that no institution, not even the police, is above the law, and that citizens and bodies like OSSIEC have recourse when their rights are violated.

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the Nigerian Police failed to present any law that had been breached to justify the actions taken against the electoral body before the poll.