Controversy as police declare woman ‘militants spy’ 70 days after detention

Is 22-year-old Gloria Okolie a “militants’ spy” as alleged by the police?

Did her arrest and detention for 70 days follow due process?

Was her family notified about her arrest and alleged offence as provided for by the Police Act, 2020?

Was she given access to a lawyer throughout her detention? Did the police turn her to a slave as alleged? Was a court order obtained for her continued detention above the time stipulated by law?

The above questions are begging answers as controversies continue to trail the circumstances surrounding the arrest and 70- day detention of the young woman.

Until last week, the whereabouts of Gloria was unknown. Her family had searched for the young woman everywhere in Owerri, including hospitals and mortuaries without success until a man, Izuchukwu Okeke, who was detained for six weeks at the Tiger Base of the Police in Owerri, sought out Gloria’s family and told them what had become her fate by June ending.

Okeke, it was alleged, told the Okolies that their daughter had been in police custody since June 17, following her arrest by operatives of the IRT and was made to cook, do laundry and chores like a slave

The family was said to have visited the detention facility several times without access to their daughter or information on her alleged offence.

It was alleged that some operatives took advantage of their desperation and extorted them.

According to the Director General (DG) Behind Bars Family, Harrison Gwamnishu, it took the investigation of his team to unravel that Gloria had been transferred to Abuja from Owerri on allegation that she was a member of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB)/Eastern Security Network (ESN).

(The Nation)