Alleged human rights abuse: Pay Okolie N70m as ordered by courts, RULAC tells Nigerian govt

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By Madu Obi

The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), a nongovernmental organization, has condemned the alleged continued refusal of the Federal government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Police Force to comply with valid court judgments that awarded N70 million compensation to Miss Glory Okolie, a victim of unlawful detention and inhumane treatment.

Miss Okolie, who was a student, was arrested on June 13, 2021, by officers of the Intelligence Response team in Owerri, Imo State and detained for several months.

RULAAC Executive Director, Okechukwu Nwanguma, in a statement on Wednesday, said that during her detention, Okolie was denied legal representation and forced to carry out domestic chores for police officers, while her family searched for her in vain.

He said that in two separate judgments by the ECOWAS Court of Justice on November 21, 2024, and another by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court on June 23, 2022, the Nigerian government was ordered to pay a total of ₦70 million in damages to Miss Okolie for the gross violation of her fundamental human rights.

According to Nwanguma, the ECOWAS Court ruled that her prolonged detention without trial violated Articles 6 and 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and ordered the payment of ₦10 million in damages, adding that prior to that, the FCT High Court had awarded ₦60 million in punitive and general damages.

"Despite these clear judgments, the Nigerian authorities have blatantly refused to honour the rulings. Letters and official communications from Miss Okolie’s legal representatives to the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation have been ignored.

This act of defiance not only adds to the trauma of a victim of injustice, but also constitutes a grave affront to the rule of law and Nigeria’s obligations under both domestic and international law", he said.

The RULAAC director demanded that in addition to the immediate payment of the ₦70 million compensation as awarded by the courts, there should be a public apology to Miss Okolie for "the grievous harm done to her", while the officers involved in her illegal arrest and detention should be held accountable.

Reminding the Nigerian government that court judgments are not advisory opinions, but binding obligations, he argued that democracy cannot thrive where state institutions operate with impunity and in disregard of judicial authority.

"The deliberate failure to comply with these rulings signals state-sanctioned lawlessness, undermines public trust in the justice system, and emboldens rights violators within the security sector.

We urge local and international human rights bodies, diplomatic missions, and development partners to join in calling on the Nigerian government to respect the rule of law and ensure justice for Glory Okolie.

Her case is not an isolated one; it is symbolic of the widespread abuse, disregard for due process, and impunity that plague Nigeria’s law enforcement system", Nwanguma observed..