Facebook postings have surfaced on how Works Minister David Umahi mobilised police and prisons agencies to harass Ms. Ohiri, and to frustrate her release from detention on a court order.
Committee Against Police Impunity (CAPI) gave the report on Tuesday and wrote:
According to the Committee Against Police Impunity (CAPI), Mrs. Ohiri was arrested in Lagos on February 24, 2026, and transported to Abuja by a police team allegedly led by Commissioner Victor Akingbade Fakorede. The arrest reportedly stemmed from a dispute involving Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi.
COURT GRANTS BAIL — RELEASE DELAYED
On February 25, 2026, Mrs. Ohiri was arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court in Wuse Zone 2 on charges of criminal defamation. The court granted her bail under liberal conditions, which were reportedly fulfilled within one hour.
Two-time presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore stood as one of the sureties.
Despite this, CAPI alleges that police and correctional officials attempted to transport Mrs. Ohiri to Keffi Correctional Facility, even after confirmation that bail had been perfected and no remand order existed.
INTERVENTION AND RELEASE
The matter escalated until intervention reportedly came from multiple quarters, including Ireti Kingibe, after which Mrs. Ohiri was declared free in accordance with the court’s signed Release Order.
A fuller report by the group said:
We read with utter dismay the misinformation riddled with outright falsehoods issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Chief Superintendent of Corrections Jane Osuji.
Mrs. Tracy Nicholas Ohiri was arrested in Lagos and flown to Abuja by the IGP Monitoring Team led by Commissioner of Nigeria Police ForcePolice Victor Akingbade Fakorede on February 24th 2026. Upon her arrival, we made several calls to CP Fakorede, explaining that his intervention concerned what was clearly a civil dispute between Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, and Mrs. Ohiri, a businesswoman known to the Minister. Despite this, he refused to reconsider his actions and proceeded to unlawfully detain Mrs. Ohiri.
On February 25, 2026, we went to the FCT Police Command and discovered that CP Fakorede had arranged a meeting between the Minister and Mrs. Ohiri inside a conference room at the Command. We were initially told we would all be present during the “interview,” but later learned that the Minister, in concert with police officers, had already begun confronting, harassing and humiliating her.
When we arrived, the police hurriedly escorted the Minister out, claiming Mrs. Ohiri was hysterical and that the Minister had never met her before. We challenged Engr Umahi about the propriety of using the police to settle what appeared to be a personal dispute. Our intervention seemed to provoke further action.
The following morning, Mrs. Ohiri was arraigned before a Magistrates’ Court at Wuse Zone 2 and charged with criminal defamation for publicly demanding payment of the alleged ₦300 million she claimed the Minister owed her. The police discreetly conducted the arraignment without notifying her attorneys, led by Marshal D F Abubakar, Esq. Upon learning of the proceedings, we immediately went to court and secured her release on bail to sureties, including two-time presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore. The presiding Magistrate, Ibraheem Ope, granted bail.
Both the Magistrate and the Court Registrar made it clear that there was no remand order against Mrs. Ohiri. The bail conditions were liberal and were fulfilled within approximately one hour.
Despite this, the Nigeria Police Force prosecutor, Wisdom Madaki, allegedly enlisted resident Corrections officers, including one Mr. Zitta, in what appeared to be an effort to frustrate Mrs. Ohiri’s release. A police vehicle with armed officers was immediately mobilized to transport her to Keffi prison. Mr. Zitta presented what he described as a “detention order,” even though bail conditions had already been met.
We contacted the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, who ordered that police officers withdraw from the court premises since bail had been granted and conditions met. Another police contingent mobilized and led by an urbane officer, CSP Ponfa later also withdrew after being confronted with the facts.
Mr. Zitta subsequently attempted to arrange transport to Keffi despite confirmation that bail had been perfected. Discussions with the Divisional Police Officer resulted in Mrs. Ohiri remaining at the police station overnight while awaiting the formal Release Order (RO) from the court registrar.
The next morning, as the registrar finalized and presented the signed Release Order, Mrs. Ohiri reportedly became unwell during attempts to transport her forcefuly and was taken to Wuse District Hospital by the Nigeria Police Force where she spent the night in custody, doctors examined and admitted her. Later, a group of Correctional officers arrived at the hospital seeking to take custody of her. Medical personnel and members of the public raised concerns, particularly in light of the signed Release Order.
It was only after sustained intervention including involvement from Senator Ireti Kingibe that the matter was resolved and Mrs. Ohiri was declared free inside the hospital in accordance with the court’s order.
The Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 prohibits torture and degrading treatment and provides that nothing shall be done that is likely to prejudice a prisoner’s health. The Anti-Torture Act, 2017 similarly prohibits physical, psychological, or degrading treatment and prescribes serious penalties.
Any attempt to detain or transport a citizen contrary to a valid court order raises grave constitutional concerns. The 1999 Constitution (as amended) guarantees that no Nigerian shall be deprived of liberty except in accordance with lawful judicial authority.
What the Nigerian Correctional Service owes Nigerians is not a face-saving defense of illegality, but a public apology and immediate corrective action. It was only after public-spirited individuals including, Senator Ireti Kingibe, intervened and escalated the matter in addition to Nigerians in their large numbers that the situation shifted.
-Committee Against Police Impunity (CAPI)
