ICYMI: Police attempt to re-arrest Chioma Okoli over Erisco product review — despite court order

Police officers on Tuesday, attempted to re-arrest Chioma Okoli, a consumer who reviewed one of Erisco Food’s products. 

On September 17, Okoli made a post on Facebook stating that she tasted Nagiko Tomato Mix — one of the tomato paste variants of the firm — and found it sugary.

Reacting in a statement, Erisco Foods Limited described the claim as untrue and unfounded.

Okoli was later arrested by the police following a petition by Eric Umeofia, president and CEO of the company. Both parties have been in court since.

On Tuesday, Inibehe Effiong, Okoli’s lawyer, in a series of posts on X (formerly Twitter) said some police officers invaded Okoli’s house at about 7 am and attempted to re-arrest her.

He said this was in disregard to a court ruling barring them from doing so.

Effiong attached copies of a subsisting order of the federal high court in Lagos dated November 8, 2023 wherein the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and the Nigerian police were barred from arresting or detaining Okoli while her case with Erisco Foods Ltd. is ongoing.

“Armed policemen are still laying siege on the private residence of Chioma Edoka Okoli more than seven hours after they invaded her home,” the post reads.

“They’ve called for reinforcement and are waiting for orders from the IGP to break into her home at Sangotedo where she is living with her baby and re-arrest.

“They have not produced any court order authorizing them to re-arrest Chioma. This is the result of years of lawlessness and impunity in the country.”

Effiong added that the head of the police team said he could not obey a court order when the IGP had given him a contrary directive.

POLICE VACATE OKOLI’S HOME

In an updated post, the lawyer said after over ten hours of siege, the officers eventually vacated Okoli’s home.

He said attempts to re-arrest his client, despite the subsisting restraining order “is a sad reminder of the entrenched culture of lawlessness and impunity in the Nigeria Police Force”.

“The fact that this brazen illegality is happening under the direction of the newly appointed Inspector General of Police who had promised to redeem the image of the police gives credence to the adage that old habits die hard,” he added.

“While deprecating the actions of the police, we want to place on record that we are not perturbed by whatever charges the IGP may have filed against Chioma.

“Their charges cannot scare us because we are confident that Chioma is on the right side of the law. We are ready to meet and confront them in court.

“We will challenge the violation of the rights of Chioma to private and family life, personal liberty and freedom of movement at the appropriate time.”