Court bars police from arresting Uzodimma’s aide

By Emmanuel Iheaka

OWERRI — The Imo State High Court has restrained the Nigeria Police Force and its relevant units from arresting, harassing or intimidating Collins Opurozor, Special Adviser to Governor Hope Uzodimma on Electronic and Creative Media.

The order, issued by Justice Emeka Orafu following an ex parte motion filed by Opurozor, also restrains the police authorities and other respondents from inviting, detaining or threatening to arrest him over allegations linked to a complaint by Chief Chima Amadi.

Amadi, an opposition figure in Imo State and senatorial candidate of the Action People’s Party (APP), had reportedly lodged a complaint against Opurozor with the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre in Abuja.

The court’s order listed the Inspector-General of Police, AIG Akannyene Ezima, the Director of the National Cybercrime Centre, the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre, the police commissioner in Imo State, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police in charge of Zone 9, Umuahia, the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, Imo State, also known as Tiger Base, and Amadi among those affected.

The court granted the applicant leave to serve the originating processes on the first six respondents through the seventh and eighth respondents.

It further restrained the respondents, their agents and relevant departments from arresting, threatening to arrest, harassing, intimidating, torturing or detaining Opurozor in connection with the allegations or any related matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.

The court adjourned the substantive application to October 14, 2026, for hearing.

Reacting to the development, a civil society group, Civil Action for Democracy (CAD), described the order as a victory for democratic rights.

The Executive Director of CAD, Mazi Franklin Ngoforo, said citizens should not be gagged or denied their constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression.

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