By Okechukwu Nwanguma
When news broke recently of the unlawful arrest and continued detention of Miss Nmesoma Chukwunyere, a 21-year-old trainee nurse in Orlu, I could not help but recall the ordeal of another young woman – Gloria Okolie – whose tragic experience at the hands of the police still lingers in our national memory.
Both cases share disturbing similarities: young women, both in their early twenties, suddenly seized from ordinary lives; held incommunicado; tortured and coerced into false confessions; and kept in prolonged detention without credible evidence. Both cases reveal a recurring pattern of abuse by the police, particularly the notorious Tiger Base in Owerri, which has become a symbol of lawlessness and impunity in Imo State.
The Case of Nmesoma
On July 15, 2025, Nmesoma was arrested while doing part-time work at a pharmacy in Orlu. Her arrest was allegedly linked to a robbery at her employer’s residence weeks earlier. But from all accounts, no credible evidence has ever tied her to the crime. A search of her apartment yielded nothing. A review of her bank transactions showed nothing suspicious beyond tuition payments from her sponsor. Other suspects initially exonerated her before suddenly changing their statements under suspicious circumstances once she was transferred to Tiger Base.
Instead of respecting her rights, police officers allegedly tortured her, threatened to shoot her in the leg, and extracted a statement under duress. Three months on, she remains in detention – her studies disrupted, her dignity violated, and her future placed in jeopardy.
Echoes of Gloria Okolie
This is an all-too-familiar story. In June 2021, Gloria Okolie disappeared on her way to write the JAMB examination. Her frantic family searched mortuaries and police stations for weeks before learning she was secretly being held at Tiger Base. There, she was allegedly turned into a domestic slave, cooking and washing for her captors.
It took public outcry and social media pressure before the police admitted holding her. In a desperate attempt to justify their unlawful actions, the police branded Gloria an “IPOB spy girl” – without evidence – and paraded her before the nation. She was held for over 70 days without charge, denied access to her family and lawyer, and later arraigned on frivolous charges.
Courts eventually vindicated Gloria. The FCT High Court awarded her ₦60 million, and the ECOWAS Court another ₦30 million in compensation. Yet, years later, the Federal Government has failed to pay, underscoring the enduring culture of impunity.
A Cautionary Tale
The similarities between Nmesoma’s case and Gloria’s are chilling. The same Tiger Base. The same pattern of arbitrary arrest, secret detention, torture, and coerced confessions. The same attempt to criminalize young, vulnerable women without evidence.
Gloria’s case should have been a turning point. Instead, it seems the lessons were never learned. Unless urgent action is taken, Nmesoma risks becoming another tragic entry in Nigeria’s long list of victims of police abuse.
What Must Be Done
The Imo State Police Command must immediately release Nmesoma or charge her before a competent court if there is credible evidence. Her continued detention is illegal and unconstitutional. Officers implicated in her torture must face disciplinary and criminal accountability. And the undue influence of private citizens, like her employer in this case, must not be allowed to dictate the course of justice.
At a broader level, the Inspector-General of Police must rein in Tiger Base and similar rogue units. The Nigerian government must also demonstrate seriousness by complying with court judgments, including paying the ₦90 million owed to Gloria Okolie. Failure to do so only emboldens abuse and erodes public trust.
Never Again
How many more young women will have their lives upended before Nigeria takes police reform seriously? How many more will disappear into the dungeons of Tiger Base before we say enough?
Gloria’s suffering and Nmesoma’s ordeal remind us that without accountability, impunity thrives. We must break this cycle. Justice delayed is justice denied – but silence in the face of injustice is complicity.
Nmesoma must not become another Gloria.
Okechukwu Nwanguma is executive director of RULAAC
