A fresh wave of national outrage has erupted following the continued detention of popular Lagos-based clergyman, Prophet Godwin Ikuru, by operatives of the Inspector-General of Police Monitoring Unit, in brazen defiance of a valid court order issued by the Federal High Court, Lagos, on July 4, 2025.
The prophet, widely known for his prophetic ministry and social advocacy, was reportedly arrested on Thursday, July 3, 2025, while en route to a court hearing on a pending suit he filed over harassment and threats of arrest. Shockingly, despite the matter being sub judice and under judicial consideration, Prophet Ikuru was intercepted and whisked away to Abuja by police operatives in what legal observers have described as a clear abuse of power.
On July 4, 2025, the court delivered a firm ruling on the matter, granting an order for his immediate and unconditional release, and restraining the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, and their agents from further arresting, detaining, or harassing the prophet pending the determination of the substantive suit filed on May 16, 2025.
The court also issued a mandatory injunction compelling the police to return a black, unregistered 2010 Lexus Toyota Tacoma SUV allegedly seized from Prophet Ikuru’s driver on May 23, 2025.
Despite the judge’s ruling—which stressed the inviolability of Prophet Ikuru’s fundamental rights under Sections 34, 35, and 37 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)—the police have refused to comply, keeping the cleric in detention without access to legal counsel or due process.
The prophet’s legal team promptly notified the court of the police’s disobedience, while civil rights activists, legal experts, and family members have condemned what they described as a dangerous slide toward executive lawlessness.
“This is not just a violation of my husband’s fundamental rights—it is a brutal affront to our entire judicial system,” said Mrs. Ikuru, the Prophet’s distraught wife. “The court has spoken. Why is the police above the law? Where is the justice President Tinubu promised Nigerians?”
In an emotional press briefing, Peter Ikuru, the Prophet’s younger brother, called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to break his silence and act swiftly to protect judicial authority.
“We are calling on President Tinubu to immediately intervene. The IGP Monitoring Unit is deliberately undermining the judiciary. This is beyond Prophet Ikuru—it’s a threat to Nigeria’s constitutional democracy,” he said.
Legal experts have warned that the police’s continued disobedience of the court order amounts to gross contempt of court, an offense that could lead to sanctions and erode public trust in Nigeria’s judicial institutions.
> “No democracy can survive when executive agents openly defy court orders. This matter is not just about Prophet Ikuru, it’s about the sanctity of our courts,” said a senior constitutional lawyer who spoke anonymously.
Efforts to obtain official clarification from the Nigeria Police Force spokesperson as of press time were unsuccessful, as calls and messages were not returned.
Human rights organizations and civil society coalitions have vowed to escalate the matter both locally and internationally, demanding that President Tinubu direct the Inspector-General of Police to comply with the court ruling without further delay.
The coming days are likely to test the government’s commitment to the rule of law, with many Nigerians watching closely to see whether justice will prevail—or whether, as critics fear, state power will continue to be used in blatant disregard for judicial authority.
