A Nigerian human rights organization has called for criminal charges against Minister of Works David Umahi and police officers allegedly involved in the unlawful detention and assault of Abuja-based businesswoman Tracy Nicolas Ohiri.
The Youth Rights Campaign (YRC), in a statement signed by National Coordinator Michael Adaramoye and National Secretary Francis Nwapa, condemned what it described as a brazen abuse of state power under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Ohiri, who publicly accused Umahi of refusing to pay approximately ₦250 million for goods and services she supplied to him, was arrested following directives reportedly linked to the minister. Her health deteriorated in detention, and she later collapsed and lost consciousness. She is currently receiving medical treatment at a hospital in Abuja, where she was seen in a widely circulated video receiving an intravenous drip.
Speaking to journalists after appearing before a Magistrate Court in Wuse 6, Abuja, a visibly distressed Ohiri alleged that the minister deployed senior police officers — including Deputy Commissioner Akin Fakorede — to orchestrate her arrest and prolonged detention. She also alleged that Umahi had made unwanted advances toward her, which she rejected, and that several detainees in her cell had been transferred from Ebonyi State on the minister’s instructions.
The YRC singled out Fakorede for particular criticism, accusing him of playing a central role in the alleged persecution of Ohiri, and demanded his immediate suspension pending an independent investigation. The group also raised alarm over reports that prison authorities ignored a valid court order granting Ohiri’s release, allegedly relying on a forged detention document — a move the YRC described as a direct assault on the judiciary.
The group called for Umahi’s removal from office to allow for a transparent investigation, insisting that the alleged debt be resolved through proper legal channels rather than intimidation. It also praised human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore for intervening in the matter.
“Public office must not become a shield against accountability,” the YRC said, urging civil society groups, youth organizations, and professional bodies to demand systemic reforms. “Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done.”
