A Kaduna State High Court has declared unconstitutional the ban on political gatherings imposed by the state commissioner of police, describing it as a violation of citizens’ rights to freedom of assembly and association.
Delivering judgment on Wednesday, Justice Murtala Zubairu ruled that the police acted outside their powers by disrupting an African Democratic Congress (ADC) meeting held on August 30, 2025, which was attended by former Kaduna governor Nasir el-Rufai and other party leaders.
Thugs had invaded the meeting, attacking participants and damaging property, after which the police claimed the event was organised without prior notice to security agencies.
The police subsequently filed a case against the ADC and the Social Democratic Party (SDP), citing “inciting disturbance” and other offences — a move the court described as an abuse of process.
Justice Zubairu faulted the police’s actions, saying they amounted to “selective enforcement and abuse of power.”
> “The applicant’s actions demonstrate a clear pattern of potential abuse of power, warranting perpetual restraint by the Court,” the judge held.
He further declared the police’s blanket attempt to prohibit all political assemblies in the state as unconstitutional, awarding a total of ₦15 million in damages to the ADC and SDP.
The compensation covers:
- The unlawful suspension of the September 4, 2025 meeting,
- The wrongful portrayal of the parties as violent,
- The improper ex parte injunction obtained by the police, and
- The failure to investigate the August 30 violence.
The court also granted a perpetual injunction restraining the commissioner of police, his officers, and agents from interfering with lawful political activities without due process.
Additionally, Justice Zubairu ordered the police to investigate the August 30 attacks and submit a report to the Kaduna attorney-general within 60 days.
