Actions Taken
Federal High Court case brought by Abuja businessman David Nwokorie over his arrest and detention has drawn renewed attention to allegations involving his former partner, National Pension Commission (PenCom) staff member Genevieve Nneoma Opara, and her family.
In court papers, Nwokorie alleges that Opara was involved in a January 2025 break-in at his home and that his subsequent arrest and detention by police violated his fundamental rights.
He is seeking ₦100 million in damages.
The dispute has also prompted a separate petition by Nwokorie to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). In it, he alleges that retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Hilary Opara, whom he identifies as Genevieve Opara’s father, attempted to influence how he was treated at Kuje Custodial Centre.
Nwokorie says the petition is not intended to interfere with the criminal case against him.
“No person, regardless of wealth, family connection, former official position or influence, should be permitted to convert detention into private punishment, or to use public institutions to inflict humiliation, fear or suffering upon an accused person,” he said.
Alleged break-in and arrest
The fundamental-rights case stems from a personal and business relationship between Nwokorie and Genevieve Opara. In an affidavit, Nwokorie says they co-founded the Genieve and David Empowerment Foundation in 2024 and later began dating.
He alleges that after learning she was married with children, he ended the relationship.
Nwokorie claims that on January 25, 2025, Opara entered his home with a police officer while he was away.
He alleges that furniture and electronics were damaged and valuables, including jewellery, shoes, wristwatches and money, were taken.
He says Opara later promised to return the items and pay for the damage, but did not do so. He then instructed a lawyer to demand ₦25 million in restitution, according to his affidavit.
The court papers identify the accompanying officer in one section as Gozie Opara, described as a superintendent of police. The newer material separately alleges that Genevieve Opara’s younger brother, identified as SP Bruno Opara, was with her during the incident.
Nwokorie was arrested in April 2025 over allegations including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, blackmail and threats to life. Genevieve Opara previously told SaharaReporters that he was being detained over allegations of blackmail, cyberbullying and threats, but declined to discuss the substance of the case, referring the publication to her lawyer. Her lawyer also declined to comment, saying the matter was before a court.
Nwokorie alleges that police arrested him without a warrant, handcuffed and blindfolded him, denied him access to a lawyer and pressured him to write a statement.
He also says he was held in poor conditions, became ill and was denied proper medical attention. The police’s full response to these claims was not included in the materials supplied.
Petition alleges pressure over treatment at Kuje
In a petition dated September 23, 2026, Nwokorie asked the NHRC and other authorities to investigate an alleged phone call to an officer in charge of Kuje Custodial Centre on or about July 20, 2026.
Nwokorie claims the caller was Hilary Opara and that he sought to influence the treatment of Nwokorie, who was being held at the facility. Nwokorie says the official did not comply with the alleged request and later told him about the call.
He quoted the official as saying: “The father of the nominal complainant called me and asked me to … ‘treat your f***-up.’”
Nwokorie says investigators should establish the caller’s identity, what was said and whether any action followed. He asked authorities to preserve phone records, call logs, CCTV footage, visitor records and internal communications, and to interview the correctional official and other relevant staff confidentially.
The petition also alleges that people connected to Genevieve Opara’s family had previously put pressure on correctional personnel. Nwokorie urged investigators not to presume that every family member was involved, saying: “The fact that a person is related to a complainant cannot itself establish liability.”
He added: “Equally, a family relationship should not prevent an investigation where specific allegations of unlawful interference have been made.”
The allegations echo a July report by SaharaReporters, which cited sources at Kuje Custodial Centre who claimed that Hilary Opara had contacted prison authorities seeking harsher treatment for Nwokorie.
A correctional official was quoted as saying: “We were shocked by the request. We simply told him not to worry, but that does not mean anybody agreed to carry out what he allegedly wanted,” the source said.
Nwokorie has asked authorities to determine the facts rather than assume that a call, if made, amounted to unlawful interference.
Bail and continued detention
Nwokorie’s petition also questions the circumstances of his continued detention after a reported bail ruling.
It says Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court granted him bail on July 14, but that he remained in custody because of stringent conditions, including a requirement for a serving Nigerian Army colonel to act as surety.
The petition asks authorities to verify the certified court ruling and establish whether anyone tried to frustrate its implementation or whether outside communications influenced the process.
“A bail order is a judicial instrument,” Nwokorie said, adding that it should be implemented according to the law and the court’s directions, “not by personal influence, private retaliation or the wishes of a complainant’s relative.”
Nwokorie has asked the NHRC and other bodies to examine the length of his detention, the bail terms and the status of the criminal proceedings.
Separate proceedings and questions for the court
Nwokorie’s fundamental-rights application names the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and Genevieve Opara as respondents.
The court is being asked to examine the circumstances of his arrest and detention and decide whether his rights were breached. The case also includes a claim for ₦100 million in damages, according to the material supplied.
The case is distinct from the criminal proceedings against Nwokorie. He has said his NHRC petition is not an attempt to have a human-rights body decide the criminal allegations against him.
“I am not asking any human-rights institution to determine the merits of the criminal allegations against me,” he said. “My complaint concerns the separate issue of whether I have been or may be subjected to unlawful treatment, intimidation or punishment outside the procedures authorised by law.”
Nwokorie has asked the NHRC to assess his safety, ensure that his treatment in custody is determined by lawful correctional authorities, preserve possible evidence and refer any suspected criminal conduct to an independent investigative body. He has also sought protection for potential witnesses against intimidation or retaliation.
The case raises questions about the alleged home incident, the grounds and conduct of the police investigation, and whether Nwokorie’s constitutional rights were respected.
