By Emmanuel Elebeke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the alleged abduction, inhumane treatment, and arbitrary detention of human rights campaigner and nurse Miss Olamide Thomas.

The group criticized the Nigerian Police Force for its Gestapo-like actions, which continue to tarnish the institution’s reputation globally.

HURIWA questioned why the Nigerian police have failed to make efforts to uphold citizens’ human rights while performing their duties, even amid international criticism, such as from UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch.

Miss Olamide Thomas, who is also a nurse and activist, was arrested and detained by the police in Lagos for criticizing Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun and President Bola Tinubu. She has since been transferred to Abuja and is reportedly being held at the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Take It Back Movement, a non-governmental organization advocating against oppression, announced on social media that Thomas had been unlawfully flown from Lagos to Abuja to face a trial they described as politically motivated and illegal. They called for her immediate release, condemning the police’s blatant disregard for human rights.

Thomas was arrested by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in the Somolu area of Lagos on Friday morning. She was initially detained at the Panti Police Station and then moved to the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja before being flown to Abuja on Saturday.

Reacting to the situation, HURIWA expressed outrage over the police’s handling of the case. The group described the police’s actions as criminal, accusing them of turning the law into a tool for personal vendettas, simply because Thomas criticized the Inspector-General of Police. HURIWA questioned whether the IGP had become a figure beyond critique, stressing that citizens should be able to challenge public officials without fear of such retaliatory measures.

HURIWA further criticized the police for bypassing the legal process, asking why the IGP did not seek legal recourse in court if he believed he had been defamed, rather than using the police as a personal instrument of power. The group called this approach a hallmark of a failed state, demanding that President Tinubu intervene, order the immediate release of Thomas, and restore constitutional order.

The civil rights group urged the IGP to address any personal grievances through the judicial system, rather than resorting to unconstitutional and unlawful actions. HURIWA also called on other civil rights organizations to protest publicly if Thomas is not immediately freed or charged to court and granted a fair hearing as stipulated by the Nigerian Constitution.

HURIWA insisted that the police cannot serve as the accuser, jury, and jailer in the case involving IGP Egbetokun and Olamide Thomas.