MICHAEL AKINOLA
Former presidential candidate of the Africa Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has carpeted the Police and the Minister of Works, Engr. David Umahi, for what he described as illegal arrest, detention and arraignment of a business woman ,Tracy Nicolas Ohiri.
The human rights activist accused the Police of abuse of power by interfering in a pure civil matter and turning it into a criminal offence to persecute the businesswoman.
According to Sowore, the woman had last year accused Engr. Umahi of owing her unpaid 250 million Naira (two hundred and fifty million Naira) and also accused him of making a pass at her some years ago.
The businesswoman was however, arrested by policemen from the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
Drama ensured on Thursday morning at the Wuse 6 Magistrate Court in Abuja as the accused woman and some human rights activists openly condemned the arrest in the courtroom.
Sowore, while speaking on the arrest of the businesswoman said, “Tracy Nicolas Ohiri, the businesswoman allegedly unlawfully detained by Nigeria’s Minister of Works, David Umahi, has been taken to a Magistrate Court in Wuse 6, Abuja, as Police reportedly plan to remand her in prison”.
Late on Wednesday, the human rights activist earlier said, “Today at the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, I confronted the Minister of Works, David Umahi, inside a conference room, where police operatives had effectively set up shop for him to harass a woman who had accused him of owing her and making a pass at her years ago.
“A married woman, TracyNither Nicolas Ohiri, has been illegally arrested in Lagos on allegations of “cyber bullying,” flown to Abuja, and detained. “
Sowore stated, “Her alleged offence was accusing David Umahi of owing her N250 million for over 12 years, a claim that, at its core, is a civil dispute.”
He pointed out, “Rather than treat the matter as such, the Police escalated it into a criminal spectacle.”
The former presidential candidate alleged that ” After unlawfully detaining her, the police facilitated a meeting in which Umahi was brought into the Command to threaten, intimidate, and denigrate her inside a police facility until we arrived, and they immediately dismantled the “interview,” and Umahi left, angry”.
“After Umahi left, they refused to grant her bail or release her. We later learnt Umahi promised that she’s not seen anything on his way out of the FCT Police Command.”