Gloria Okolie: Amnesty tells police to release suspected female IPOB member

Amnesty International has called on the Nigeria Police Force to release Gloria Okolie who was arrested on the allegation of being a member of the Eastern Security Network (ECN) controlled by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The 21-year-old was arrested in connection to the attacks on security formations and critical national infrastructures in the South-East which saw the death of security operatives.

A statement issued by the police described Okolie “as an intermediate person who receives cash, drugs and weapons on behalf of IPOB/ESN and delivers same to their commanders in their camps.”

“Through her clandestine criminal activities, she actively aided and abetted the multiple acts of murder, arson and malicious damage to both private and public property by the ESN.”

However, Amnesty International, in a statement on social media on Monday, expressed displeasure at her prolonged detention, adding that she should be released or charged with a recognisable offence.

The statement read, “The Nigerian Police must release Gloria Okolie. The 21-year-old student has been in detention since 17 June 2021 for alleged involvement with a suspected ESN/IPOB member.

“Her lawyer told Amnesty International that she was arrested by the IRT unit of the Nigerian Police in Imo State and taken to Abuja where she remains in detention without access to her family members and lawyer in violation of her human rights.

“Her lawyer also alleges that Gloria has been subjected to ill-treatment while in detention. The police also continued to extorting her family on false promises to release her.

“We are calling on police authorities to immediately release her or charge her with a recognisable offence. The police authorities must investigate her prolonged detention and alleged ill-treatment and ensure that officers found culpable are punished according to law.

“Amnesty International has in the past documented several cases of ill-treatment including sexual abuse of women in police detention.”