Court-ordered move puts renewed pressure on authorities to prosecute officers linked to John Anozie’s alleged disappearance
Nine years after businessman John Anozie allegedly disappeared following his arrest by police operatives, the Nigeria Police Force has finally forwarded the case file on the matter to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, in compliance with a Federal High Court order.
The development marks a major step in a prolonged legal battle by Anozie’s wife, Nnenna Anozie, who has spent years seeking answers over what happened to her husband and demanding accountability from the authorities.
According to documents reported by Premium Times, the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, through his legal representative, filed a Notice of Compliance before the Federal High Court in Abuja after the case file was eventually located and sent to the office of the AGF.
The case dates back to June 2017, when Anozie was allegedly taken from his home in Lagos by police operatives linked to the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.
The police later reportedly claimed that the businessman died while in custody. However, his body was never produced, leaving his family without a clear account of his fate.
For years, Mrs Anozie has continued to demand answers, taking the matter to different government institutions, including the Nigeria Police Force, the National Human Rights Commission and the #EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry.
The long-running dispute eventually reached the Federal High Court, where Justice Binta Nyako, in a judgment delivered in September 2025, ordered the police authorities to release relevant case documents and take steps towards prosecuting officers identified as principal suspects.
The court also awarded ₦2 million in damages to Mrs Anozie over the violation of her right to access information.
However, the police did not immediately comply with the judgment.
Mrs Anozie, through her lawyer, Vincent Adodo, subsequently commenced contempt proceedings against the then Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, accusing the police authorities of disobeying the court’s orders.
The matter continued even after Egbetokun left office and was succeeded by Tunji Disu.
At a hearing on July 13, 2026, the court was informed that the missing case file had eventually been found.
The latest documents now indicate that the police have forwarded the original case file to the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation.
The file reportedly contains the police investigation report, crime diary extracts, minute sheets, the original petition submitted by Mrs Anozie, witness statements and statements obtained from police officers implicated in the matter.
It also contains police wireless messages, records of investigation activities, bail applications, correspondence concerning the duplicate case file, legal advice and subsequent correspondence relating to that advice.
According to the documents, the case file was initially forwarded by the Commissioner of Police in charge of the X-Squad Section of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, Force Headquarters, Abuja, to the IGP on June 8, 2020, for prosecution.
The latest forwarding of the file to the AGF therefore represents a significant development in a case that has remained unresolved for almost a decade.
A letter dated July 15 and signed by CP Aremu Silas, Deputy Director of Administration at the Directorate of Legal Services, indicated that the file was sent to the AGF for legal review and possible prosecution.
The AGF’s office reportedly acknowledged receipt of the file on July 20, days before the police formally filed their Notice of Compliance before the Federal High Court.
But while the development has been welcomed as progress, Mrs Anozie’s legal team says several aspects of the court judgment are still outstanding.
Her lawyer said the police are yet to fully comply with orders relating to the release of a certified true copy of the duplicate case file to the family, the arrest of police officers identified as principal suspects, their handover to the AGF for prosecution and payment of the ₦2 million damages awarded by the court.
The names of officers linked to the investigation include Anthony Obiozor Ikechukwu, an Assistant Superintendent of Police; Uzochukwu Emeana, a sergeant; John Eze, also known as T-Boy; Oriole; and Sunday Okpe, a Superintendent of Police. Some of the officers have reportedly retired from the Force.
Their alleged involvement remains subject to the appropriate legal process and judicial determination.
The development has also attracted renewed pressure from civil society organisations.
Members of the Coalition of Civil Societies in Abuja, popularly known as Abuja Left, reportedly protested outside the Federal High Court in Abuja, calling on the Attorney-General of the Federation to act on the case file and ensure that any officer found culpable is prosecuted in accordance with Nigerian law.
The coalition said the nine-year wait for justice was unacceptable and called on the relevant authorities to bring the matter to a lawful conclusion.
The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, also described the case as an important test of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law and accountability for alleged enforced disappearances.
Its Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, urged the AGF to quickly review the investigation report and legal advice and take appropriate action where the evidence supports prosecution.
RULAAC also called on the police to comply fully with the remaining parts of the Federal High Court judgment.
For the Anozie family, however, the latest development is not the end of the struggle.
After years of searching for answers, the forwarding of the case file to the AGF is only one stage in a process that the family hopes will finally establish what happened to the businessman, identify those responsible if wrongdoing is proven, and deliver justice.
The case has also become part of the wider national conversation about police accountability, alleged enforced disappearances and the difficulty families sometimes face in obtaining information from security agencies.
With the case file now in the hands of the Federal Government’s chief law officer, attention is expected to shift to the Attorney-General’s office and whether the evidence contained in the documents will lead to prosecution.
For a family that has waited nine years for answers, the next stage could determine whether the latest development becomes a genuine breakthrough or another chapter in a long-running search for justice.
IBN News will continue to follow the case and report further developments as they emerge.
