Human rights activist and former presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has alleged abuse of police authority at the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, following the arrest and detention of a woman involved in a dispute with the Minister of Works, David Umahi.
Sowore made the claims in a post shared on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account on Wednesday, detailing what he described as a troubling encounter at the police command headquarters.
According to him, TracyNither Nicolas Ohiri, a married woman, was arrested in Lagos over allegations of “cyberbullying,” flown to Abuja, and detained.
Her alleged offence, Sowore stated, was accusing Umahi of owing her N250 million for more than 12 years — a matter he argued was fundamentally civil in nature.
Sowore claimed that upon arrival at the FCT Command, he confronted the Minister of Works inside a conference room where, he alleged, police operatives had arranged a meeting between Umahi and the detained woman.
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He described the session as one in which the minister sought to “threaten, intimidate, and denigrate” her within a police facility.
He further alleged that once others arrived at the scene, the meeting was abruptly dismantled and the minister left the premises visibly displeased.
However, he claimed that despite efforts to secure Ohiri’s release, police authorities refused to grant her bail.
As of press time, neither the Nigeria Police Force nor the Minister of Works had issued an official response to the allegations.
Legal experts note that disputes over alleged debts are typically addressed through civil litigation, and any escalation into criminal proceedings must meet established legal thresholds.
Civil rights advocates have called for transparency regarding the circumstances of the arrest, transfer from Lagos to Abuja, and continued detention.
The incident has sparked wider conversations online about due process, the role of law enforcement in civil disputes, and the protection of citizens’ rights within Nigeria’s justice system.