The police had arrested Okolie for allegedly being friends with a suspected member of the IPOB. She was later transferred to Abuja, despite efforts by her family members to secure his release.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) court has fined the Nigerian government N1million over its “frivolous adjournment" in the case of a 21-year-old young woman, Glory Okolie being heard before it.
Only on March 23, SaharaReporters reported that Okolie perfected her bail conditions and regained her freedom.
She had regained her freedom after many months of illegal detention by the Nigerian police.
The case before the ECOWAS court was filed by an organisation, One Love Foundation.
The police had arrested Okolie for allegedly being friends with a suspected member of the IPOB. She was later transferred to Abuja, despite efforts by her family members to secure his release.
After more than 100 days in detention, the police, in a bogus statement sometime in July 2021, said she was arrested for alleged membership of IPOB and for working with one Benjamin Uzoma Emojiri to attack police officers and stations in Imo.
Her detention stirred public outcry as many Nigerians, including several civil society organisations, called for her release.
In the suit filed on August 24, 2021, Okolie asked the ECOWAS court to mandate the Nigerian government to pay the sum of N100 billion as “general and punitive” damages for “infringing” on her fundamental human rights.
Alongside other reliefs, which include and are below: A. A DECLARATION of this honourable court, that the act of the Respondent in detaining the 1ST applicant from the 13th June 2021 till date, without an order of any court permitting same, is a violation of the 1ST Applicant’s right to a fair hearing and Personal Liberty as enshrined in articles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Chapter A9 LFN, 2004. b. A DECLARATION of this honourable court, that the act of the Respondent in detaining the 1ST applicant from the 13th June 2021, and beyond 71 (seventy-one) days till date, without an order of any court permitting same, is a violation of the 1ST Applicant’s right to a fair hearing and Personal Liberty as enshrined in articles 1, 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Chapter A9 LFN, 2004 and other reliefs."
During the hearing of the case, which was held by physical and external proceedings at ECOWAS court on Monday in Ghana, Abuja-based lawyer, Samuel Ihensekhien Jnr, who appeared for the applicants including Okolie urged the court to proceed for hearing as the Nigerian government had not filed any contrary document.
Reacting, a lawyer, Oladeji, who appeared for the Nigerian government and the Attorney-General of the Federation instead requested for an adjournment of the case to a later date on the grounds that the AGF needed two weeks to file its defence.
Responding, Ihensekhien Samuel Jnr, noted that the AGF and the government were treating the ECOWAS court with disdain and could not be requesting time to provide evidence in the case.
The ECOWAS court in upholding the arguments of Okolie’s counsel fined the Nigerian government N1 million and adjourned the case till 24th April 2022.