Judge Warns of Army Arrest for Police Chief in Contempt Case Over Missing Husband
A Federal High Court judge in Abuja has issued a stark warning that she could order the Chief of Army Staff to arrest Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun over alleged disobedience of a court judgement. Justice Binta Nyako made the declaration during a hearing in contempt proceedings initiated by Nnenna Anozie, whose husband, John Anozie, was abducted in June 2017 by police officers attached to the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Eight-Year Search for Missing Husband
John Anozie has not been seen since he was taken from his home in Lagos by SARS operatives who reportedly travelled from Awkuzu in Anambra State. For more than eight years, his wife has relentlessly pursued answers through the courts and the #EndSARS judicial panel of inquiry. Over this period, Mrs. Anozie has secured multiple rulings ordering the police to produce her missing husband and hold the implicated officers accountable.
In September 2025, Justice Nyako specifically directed the IGP to produce the officers involved and multiple case files linked to the matter. According to Mrs. Anozie, the police failed to comply with that order, prompting her to initiate contempt proceedings seeking the committal of the IGP to prison.
Courtroom Confrontation Over Police Disobedience
During Tuesday's hearing, her lawyer, Vincent Adodo, outlined what he described as repeated acts of disobedience by the police. He informed the court that Forms 48 and 49, the required processes for commencing contempt proceedings, had been properly served on the IGP.
"Despite the avalanche of evidence, the IGP refused to produce the perpetrators," Mr. Adodo told the court, adding that the case files could be forwarded to the Attorney General of the Federation for action. He also noted that Mrs. Anozie had travelled from Lagos to attend the hearing, underscoring her determination.
Counsel to the IGP, Stanley Nwodo, stated he had only received Form 48 and argued there was confusion regarding the identities of the implicated officers. Justice Nyako dismissed this argument, emphasizing that the existence of a valid judgement was the central issue requiring compliance.
Unprecedented Enforcement Threat
Signalling her willingness to enforce compliance through extraordinary means, the judge declared she had no problem granting an order to commit the IGP. "If I must do that, I will ask the Chief of Army Staff to arrest him. I will not ask the police," she stated unequivocally.
Ordinarily, the police are responsible for executing arrest orders. However, the judge indicated that directing the Army might be necessary given the circumstances involving police disobedience. This represents a highly unusual judicial intervention in Nigeria's security architecture.
Two Paths Forward Offered
Justice Nyako then presented two options: to proceed with the contempt case since the IGP had not complied with the court's order, or to convene a meeting in her chambers with the parties to discuss a solution. If the latter option was chosen, she said she would personally communicate any resolutions to the Attorney General of the Federation.
Mrs. Anozie's lawyer expressed concern that similar letters had been written in the past without yielding results. The judge responded that there was a significant difference between correspondence from counsel and one issued directly by the court.
She added that jailing the IGP might not ultimately resolve the matter, suggesting that a solution-focused approach could be more effective in achieving the desired outcome of locating John Anozie and holding responsible parties accountable.
Case Adjourned for Chambers Meeting
After a brief consultation, the IGP's counsel agreed to the in-chambers meeting. The judge directed the parties to liaise with the court registrar to fix a date and adjourned the case until April 23, by which time the meeting is expected to have taken place.
John Anozie's disappearance has been cited as one of the many alleged abuses attributed to the defunct SARS unit, which was widely accused of extortion, torture, extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances. Public outrage over such allegations culminated in the nationwide #EndSARS protests of October 2020, after which the unit was disbanded and judicial panels of inquiry were established in several states.
Implicated Officers and Legal Proceedings
According to court filings, the officers implicated in the Anozie case include:
- Anthony Obiozor Ikechukwu
- Uzochukwu Emeana
- John Eze, also known as T Boy
- Sunday Okpe
Some of these officers are reportedly retired. In a motion filed in December last year, Mrs. Anozie accused the IGP of failing to comply with the September 2025 order. After serving Form 48 without response, she proceeded with Form 49, which requires an alleged contemnor to show cause why they should not be committed to prison.
Her application sought the committal of the IGP to Kuje prison in Abuja until he complies with the court's order. However, Tuesday's development may temporarily pause the contempt proceedings pending the outcome of the proposed meeting in chambers, offering a potential pathway to resolution outside of immediate punitive measures.
