SRJ Legal has made available the judgment of the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, delivered on 24 June 2026 by Hon. Justice Alexander Oluseyi Owoeye in Obioma Anosike v. Nigerian Police Force & 4 Ors. (Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1798/2020).
The decision considers the application of section 153 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 (ACJA) in relation to the return of property retained by law enforcement authorities where criminal proceedings are alleged to remain pending.
The judgment will be of interest to:
- Commercial litigation lawyers
- Criminal justice practitioners
- In-house counsel
- Financial institutions
- Fintech companies
- Compliance professionals
- Business owners
- Researchers and law students
Why this judgment matters
Although the dispute arose from the retention of money and personal items during criminal investigations, the decision raises wider questions regarding
- police retention of seized property;
- commercial certainty;
- business continuity where operational assets remain under investigative custody;
- section 153 ACJA;
- litigation strategy; and
- the economics of appellate litigation.
For a commercial perspective on the broader implications of this decision, read our companion commentary Police Retention of Seized Property in Nigeria: Commercial Certainty and Litigation Economics after Obioma Anosike v. Nigerian Police Force
We examined the judgment from the perspective of commercial risk, litigation economics and business certainty rather than merely analysing the legal outcome.
Download the Judgment
Judgement – Obioma Anosike v. NPF& 4Ors (Download)
Federal High Court. Lagos Judicial Division
Judgment delivered: 24 June 2026
Citation
Obioma Anosike v. Nigerian Police Force & 4 Ors. (Suit No. FHC/L/CS/1798/2020) Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division. Unreported Judgment delivered on 24 June 2026 by Hon. Justice Alexander Oluseyi Owoeye.
