Oyediran and others -v- Secretary of State for the Home Department (anonymity order)

Administrative CourtHigh CourtKing's Bench DivisionAnonymity Order

Claim number: AC-2026-LON-001335

In the High Court of Justice
King’s Bench Division
Administrative Court

In the matter of an application for judicial review

22 April 2026

Before:

Jonathan Richards,
sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court

Between:

(1) Mobolaji Samad Jibril Oyediran

(2) Olatomi Abigail Oguntoye

(3) Abiola Olumide Oladokun

(4) HOU, by Litigation friend Abiodun Sarah Modupe Grant

(5) HOV, by Litigation friend Abiodun Sarah Modupe Grant

(6) HOW, by Litigation friend Abiodun Sarah Modupe Grant

(7) HOX, by Litigation friend Abiodun Sarah Modupe Grant

(8) HOZ, by Litigation friend Abiodun Sarah Modupe Grant
(Claimants)

-v-

Secretary of State for the Home Department
(Defendant)

Order

On an application by the Claimants dated 19 March 2026 for urgent consideration and expedition of the claim; abridgement of time for the Defendant’s Acknowledgment of Service and Summary Grounds; and such further directions as the Court considers appropriate for the prompt determination of the claim.

Following consideration of the documents lodged by the Claimant

ORDER BY JONATHAN RICHARDS,
sitting as a Deputy Judge of the High Court

  1. Anonymity:

(a) Pursuant to CPR 39.2(4) and/or the Court’s inherent jurisdiction and/or s. 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998:

(i) the 4th to 8th Claimants’ names are to be withheld from the public and must not be disclosed in any proceedings in public; and

(ii) the 4th to 8th Claimants are to be referred to orally and in writing as HOU, HOV, HOW, HOX and HOZ, respectively.

(b) Pursuant to s. 11 of the Contempt of Court Act 1981, there must be no publication of the identity of the 4th to 8th Claimants or of any matter likely to lead to the identification of them in any report of, or otherwise in connection with, these proceedings.

(c) Pursuant to CPR 5.4C(4):

(i) the parties must within 7 days file a redacted copy of any statement of case filed, omitting the name, address and any other information likely to lead to the identification of the 4th to 8th Claimants;

(ii) if any statement of case subsequently filed includes information likely to lead to the identification of the 4th to 8th Claimants, a redacted copy omitting that information must be filed at the same time;

(iii) unless the Court grants permission under CPR 5.4C(6), no non-party many obtain a copy of any unredacted statement of case.

(d) Any person wishing to vary or discharge this Order must make an application, served on each party.

  1. Case management:

(a) The Defendant’s Acknowledgement of Service (CPR 54.8) must be filed and served by 4pm on 30 April 2026.

(b) Any Reply from the Claimant (CPR 54.8A) must be filed and served by 4pm on 7 May 2026.

(c) The papers are to be referred to a judge or deputy judge as soon as possible thereafter.

Reasons

(1) Anonymity: The 4th to 8th Claimants are children. There are accordingly compelling reasons for the limited derogations from the principle of open justice in paragraph 1 of this order.

(2) The decision challenged is the Defendant’s refusal, confirmed by letter dated 17 March 2026, to return original identity documents, including British passports, Nigerian passports and birth certificates, and British registration certificates seized on or about 23 October 2024. It has been asserted that they are being retained under section 22 Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 pending the conclusion of an ongoing criminal investigation and satisfaction as to their authenticity.

(3) I accept that the documents have now been held for over 18 months. I can also accept that this has at least the potential to interfere with the normal enjoyment by the Claimants of their lives. While I have not seen particular evidence for urgency in this case, I have set out further directions for the management of the proceedings above.

Signed: DHCJ JONATHAN RICHARDS

Date: 22 April 2026