ABUJA — The alleged refusal of the Nigeria Police Force to comply with a Federal Capital Territory High Court order directing the release of a detainee has raised fresh concerns about the weakening authority of Nigeria’s institutions and the growing strain on the country’s rule-of-law system.
The concern emerged after a lawyer representing Godwin Francis Akpan petitioned Inspector-General of Police OlatunjiRilwanDisu, alleging that his client remained in police custody despite a September 17, 2026 order in suit No. CV/4013/26 directing his immediate release. The petition, dated September 24, described compliance with the order as necessary to preserve judicial authority and public confidence in state institutions.
According to the lawyer, EdehUchenna C. Esq, Akpan’s detention followed a police investigation connected to a commercial dispute involving his employer and another company. Counsel said Akpan was willing to cooperate with any lawful investigation but argued that investigative powers could not override due process, individual liberty or an existing order of a competent court.
The petition stressed that it was not seeking to stop the police investigation or grant Akpan immunity from scrutiny. Instead, it urged the police to comply with the release order while pursuing any outstanding investigative issues through lawful procedures. The lawyer also called on relevant oversight institutions, including the Police Service Commission and Public Complaints Commission, to intervene.
The immediate dispute therefore raises a broader institutional question: what happens to the rule of law when a citizen obtains a court order against the state, but the enforcement of that order itself becomes a subject of dispute? While the circumstances surrounding Akpan’s continued detention and the police’s position require clarification from the authorities, the allegation places the spotlight on a fundamental pillar of governance — whether the institutions empowered to enforce the law are themselves prepared to submit to the authority of the courts.