Our Reporter, Abuja
A coalition of 38 civil society organizations (CSOs) has petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, urging him to intervene in the enforcement of court judgments in favor of Miss Gloria Okolie, a 21-year-old Nigerian who suffered prolonged unlawful detention and rights violations at the hands of the police.
According to the petition seen by Ikengaonline, Okolie was arrested on June 17, 2021, by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at Tiger Base, Owerri, Imo State, and held incommunicado for more than 70 days. During her detention, she was reportedly subjected to forced domestic servitude, denied access to family and legal representation, and exploited for extortion before the police eventually acknowledged holding her.
Despite eventually being arraigned in court, her ordeal sparked widespread public outrage and condemnation from rights advocates.
Both the Federal High Court in Abuja and the ECOWAS Court of Justice later ruled that Okolie’s rights had been grossly violated. The FCT High Court, in June 2022, awarded her ₦60 million in damages, while the ECOWAS Court subsequently ordered an additional ₦30 million, bringing the total compensation to ₦90 million.
More than a year after these judgments, however, Okolie has yet to receive justice in practical terms. The CSOs say repeated appeals to the Attorney-General of the Federation for compliance with the rulings have gone unanswered.
In their petition dated August 21, 2025, and signed by organizations including Amnesty International Nigeria, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Media Rights Agenda, Spaces for Change, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RoLAC) and the Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), the coalition described the continued non-compliance as a threat to Nigeria’s justice system and international credibility.
“Failure to comply with these binding judgments not only undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system but also damages our country’s credibility in the international community,” the coalition warned.
The CSOs urged President Tinubu to:
1. Direct the Attorney-General to ensure immediate compliance with the judgments of both the FCT High Court and the ECOWAS Court.
2. Mandate the Nigeria Police Force to pay Okolie the ₦90 million awarded as compensation.
3. Demonstrate his administration’s commitment to the rule of law and human rights by ensuring accountability for law enforcement agencies.
They further stressed that Okolie’s case reflects a broader challenge of impunity and disregard for judicial authority in Nigeria.
“Addressing this case decisively will not only provide overdue justice to a young Nigerian woman but also send a strong signal that your government stands firmly on the side of the rule of law and democratic values,” the petition read.
Other groups that endorsed the petition include: the Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), Nchekwa Ndi Ogbenye Foundation, Sterling Law Centre, Women in Media Communications Initiative (WIM), Dataphyte Foundation, and Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, among others.
