Nigeria Police Force Charges Gloria Okolie to Court

DETENTION OF GLORIA OKOLIE: DEMANDED N500,000 FOR HER RELEASE
SEPTEMBER 10TH, 2021

Nigerians and civil society groups have continued to call for the unconditional release of a 21-year-old woman, Gloria Okolie, from Obor Autonomous Community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo State, arrested by Imo Police and detained beyond the allowed constitutional period at the Tiger base unit, for over two months, over allegation of being an informant to Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

Though Gloria, who was later transferred by the Police to Abuja, had challenged her continued detention in court, despite a court order directing the police to charge her to court on or before August 31, 2021, at press time, she has not been arraigned before any court, notwithstanding the Federal Government filing an eight-count charge of taking part in attacks on police stations, belonging to an illegal organization, taking part in attacking military personnel on duty, among others against her.

Also joined as a defendant in the charge filed by one S.M. Labaran, Assistant Chief State Counsel, is Emeoyiri Benjamin.

It would be recalled that following her suit against the Inspector General of Police, the Commander, Police Intelligence Response Team (DCP Tunji Disu), and the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Sylvanus Oriji of a Federal High Court, Abuja, had on August 27, ordered: “The respondents (Police/FG) should charge the applicant (Gloria Okolie) to court on or before August 31, 2021, if they have any case against her.”

The court further said: “If the applicant is not charged to court as aforesaid, the respondents, especially the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, are ordered to release her on bail upon fulfillment of the following conditions.

“The applicant shall enter into a bond in the sum of N2million with one surety in like sum to report to the respondents whenever they are ready to charge her to court. The surety shall be a civil servant of at least grade level 12 in the federal civil service.”

This came as no fewer than 42 Civil Society Organisations, CSOs and individuals across the country have urged the Police to comply with the court order and release 21 -year-old Gloria Okorie, who has continued to be in incarceration despite the order of the court directing the police to either release her or produce her in court.