Nine years after businessman John Anozie allegedly disappeared following his arrest by police operatives, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Tunji Disu, has forwarded the case file on the matter to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF), Lateef Fagbemi, in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The case file, which contains the police investigation report, legal advice, witness statements, police communications and records of investigative activities, was sent to the AGF after months of delay despite a court judgment ordering its release.
Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court in Abuja had, in September 2025, directed the police to release the duplicate case file to Nnenna Anozie, wife of the missing businessman. However, the police failed to comply with the judgment for about 10 months, prompting Mrs. Anozie to initiate contempt proceedings against the then Inspector General of Police.
During the most recent court session, the judge acknowledged that progress had finally been made after learning that the missing case file had been located and forwarded to the AGF.
A notice filed before the court confirmed that the police had complied with part of the court’s directive by transmitting the investigation file to the Attorney General for legal review and possible prosecution.
Mrs. Anozie’s legal team welcomed the development but insisted that the police must still comply with the remaining court orders, including releasing a certified true copy of the duplicate case file to the family, arresting the officers identified as principal suspects, handing them over for prosecution, and paying the ₦2 million damages awarded by the court.
Documents show the case file includes the original petition submitted by Mrs. Anozie, witness statements, police reports, crime diary extracts, legal advice, correspondence, and statements from the officers implicated in the case.
The records further revealed that the investigation file had originally been forwarded to the office of the Inspector General in June 2020 for prosecution but remained inactive for years before its recent transmission to the Attorney General.
John Anozie reportedly disappeared in 2017 after operatives of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) allegedly arrested him at his residence in Lagos. Although police later claimed he died in custody, his body was never produced despite multiple court orders.
Over the years, Mrs. Anozie pursued justice through petitions, human rights institutions and several court cases, securing multiple judgments directing the police to account for her husband’s disappearance and prosecute those responsible.
Civil society organisations have welcomed the forwarding of the case file but described it as a long-overdue step. They urged the Attorney General to promptly prosecute the officers implicated in the investigation and ensure full implementation of the court’s judgment.
Rights groups also called on the police to comply with all outstanding court orders, stressing that the case has become a significant test of accountability, justice and the rule of law in Nigeria.
