Court stops Imo State and police from disrupting Rep's rallies

A Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja has stopped the Imo State Government, security agencies, and the chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South Local Government Areas from interfering with rallies, meetings, and other civic activities of Imo Ugochinyere. He is the member representing Ideato North/South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

Justice Kayode Agunloye issued the temporary order on July 20, 2026. This followed an ex parte application from Ugochinyere in suit number FCT/HC/CV/153/2026 and Motion No. M/481/2026.

Documents shared with our correspondent on Friday showed that the court barred the defendants and anyone acting for them from "destroying, dismantling, defacing, cutting down or ordering for the removal and/or demolition" of billboards and signs put up by the lawmaker across Ideato North and South Federal Constituencies of Imo State.

The judge also stopped them from "stopping, barring, denying access to, sealing off or preventing the Claimant and/or his supporters" from using venues for peaceful rallies, processions, campaigns, meetings, and other civic activities in Ideato Federal Constituency or anywhere in Imo State.

This order followed an application from Ugochinyere through his lawyer, Chizubor Ezike. The defendants include the Nigeria Police Force, Inspector-General of Police, State Security Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Imo State Governor, Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, chairmen of Ideato North and Ideato South LGAs, the Commissioner of Police in Imo State, the Director of the SSS in the state, and the NSCDC Imo State Command.

While granting the application, Agunloye said he considered "the Affidavit in support of the Application, the exhibits as well as the Affidavit of Extreme Urgency" sworn to by Anderson Achike. The judge also listened to the applicant's lawyer, Ibukunoluwa Thompson, before making his decision.

The court specifically ordered that the defendants must not do anything that could frustrate Ugochinyere's political and civic activities while they wait for the motion on notice. The order states that the defendants cannot "stop the continued or further reinstallation of the billboards" by the lawmaker or prevent him and his supporters from conducting "any civic activities, peaceful rally, procession, program, campaign, meetings or any event" in venues within Ideato Federal Constituency or Imo State.

The court also stopped the defendants from violating what it described as the lawmaker's "inalienable rights to expression, peaceful assembly and movement." These rights include Ugochinyere's right "to erect or install signage or billboards within Ideato Federal Constituency or Imo State" for purposes such as showcasing government projects he attracted as a federal lawmaker, mobilizing constituents, sending seasonal greetings, and spreading security-awareness messages.

This order also relates to a June 15, 2026 letter that aimed to limit the number of Ugochinyere's billboards. The court stopped the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth defendants from "giving effect to, enforcing, carrying out or implementing the letter dated 15th June, 2026 or any other such letter(s)" that would restrict the lawmaker's billboards to six.

The defendants were also barred from providing security for anyone looking to destroy or remove the billboards based on the June 15 letter. The judge ordered faster hearing of the main suit.

The order also directed that the originating summons, hearing notices, and other court documents be served on the relevant defendants through specific channels. These include the office of the Attorney-General of Imo State, the Legal Department of the Nigeria Police Force, the SSS headquarters, and the NSCDC headquarters in Abuja.

The court then adjourned the matter to July 28, 2026, for hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction. When the matter came up on that date, the court noted that the respondents were still within the time allowed by law to file their response and were entitled to be heard in defense of the suit.

The claimant's side asked the court to extend the interim order through the vacation period, stating that it was the respondents who were not ready to proceed with the interlocutory injunction motion. Ruling on this request, Justice Agunloye extended the interim order until the next adjourned date and further postponed the case to November 4, 2026, for hearing. The order was signed by the presiding judge and verified by the court registrar, Hannatu Simon.