Court Bars police From Arresting Nedu Wazobia As Education Charity Crisis Lingers
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Justice D.I. Dipeolu of the Federal High Court in Lagos has issued an interim order restraining the Inspector-General of Police and other senior officers from arresting, detaining, or interrogating popular media personality and comedian, Chinedu Emmanuel Ani, popularly known as Nedu Wazobia, over a contractual dispute with a business partner.
The court’s order followed an ex-parte application filed by Nedu and five others, seeking protection of their fundamental rights.
Specifically, the interim injunction restrains the Inspector-General of Police, the Assistant Inspector-General of Police at Alagbon, and other officers from summoning or detaining the applicants in connection with a dispute involving the Metropolitan School of Business and Management, Mr. Victor Ariyibi-Oke, and Mrs. Tolulope Ariyibi-Oke, who are listed as the 6th to 8th respondents in the suit.
Other respondents include CSP Ngozi Braide, ASP Stephen Onihane, and Inspector Echeng Julius. The co-applicants alongside Nedu include Sarah Williams-Konha, Avalon Okpe, Ada Okpe, Barbara Okwaranobi, and Tokindrumz Pictures and Media Nigeria Ltd.
In his ruling, Justice Dipeolu ordered that no further action be taken against the applicants by the police or their agents pending the hearing of the substantive motion for the enforcement of their fundamental rights. However, the court declined a separate prayer requesting an order to compel the police to maintain the status quo on the transaction in question.
Represented by counsel J.W. Dong, the applicants alleged that the police were being used by their former business partners to intimidate and harass them over what was a purely civil matter. They stated that the case had already been investigated for nine months in 2024 by the X-Squad of the AIG’s office at Alagbon.
According to the applicants, that investigation cleared Nedu and his team of any criminal wrongdoing. The police legal department subsequently issued formal legal advice confirming the matter was contractual in nature and should be addressed in a civil court.
Despite these findings, the applicants alleged that the 6th to 8th respondents submitted a second petition—this time directed to a different team within the same police office, led by CSP Braide. They claimed that Braide’s team ignored the earlier investigation and legal opinion, placed the applicants under caution again, and continued with intimidation tactics.
The applicants further alleged abuse of power, stating that one of the respondents even physically assaulted their former lawyer prior to the engagement of their current legal representation.
Providing background to the dispute, the applicants explained that they had entered into a partnership with the respondents in early 2024 for an educational charity initiative aimed at raising school fees for underprivileged students. The project culminated in a high-profile fundraising gala, sponsored by the respondents at an estimated cost of over N83 million.
Although the event, held in March 2024, reportedly raised significant funds through pledges and donations, the respondents allegedly demanded a refund of N60 million without valid grounds.
Following the breakdown of the partnership, the respondents reportedly petitioned the police, which led to repeated summons and alleged harassment. The applicants claim that some of them were unlawfully detained in July 2025, while others had their international passports seized.
They argued that the entire matter is contractual and should not involve criminal proceedings. In their motion, they asked the court to declare the police actions unlawful, unconstitutional, and an abuse of power.
Additionally, they are seeking an order directing the police to return their passports and to restrain further harassment related to the dispute. The applicants are also demanding N2 billion in damages, jointly and severally, from the respondents for the alleged violation of their fundamental rights.
The case is expected to proceed to a substantive hearing in the coming weeks.
