The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has expressed outrage over the assault of a lawyer, Ernest Chukwuemeka Okpaga, by police officers in Abuja.
Okpaga, who was representing detained activist Abiodun Olamide Thomas, was reportedly brutalised and detained by officers at the Nigeria Police Force National Cyber Crime Centre.
The NBA described the incident as “heinous and unwarranted” and demanded immediate sanctions against the officers involved.
In a statement signed by the Chairman and Secretary of its National Litigation Committee, Ama Etuwewe (SAN) and Isah Abubakar Aliyu, the NBA vowed to seek justice for Okpaga and hold the police accountable.
The events unfolded on December 19, 2024, when Okpaga visited the Cyber Crime Centre to represent Thomas, a detained nurse and human rights activist.
Thomas, who suffers from asthma and a peptic ulcer, had been held for a week without medical attention. Her condition worsened, and she reportedly collapsed during an interrogation session.
Instead of ensuring medical care for Thomas, police officers allegedly assaulted Okpaga when he insisted on immediate treatment for his client.
The lawyer was detained in an interrogation room alongside his unconscious client, sparking widespread condemnation.
Thomas’s ordeal began on October 20, 2024, when she was first arrested during a protest at the Lekki Toll Gate.
She alleged that police officers beat her, slapped her multiple times, and injured her leg with a tear gas canister.
Her latest arrest occurred on December 15, 2024, when officers stormed her Lagos home. Sources claim she was arrested on the orders of Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun after criticising police misconduct on social media.
Thomas was transferred to Abuja and denied medical attention and administrative bail, despite her deteriorating condition.
The NBA condemned the assault on Okpaga as a blatant violation of his fundamental human rights and a grave insult to the legal profession.
“This incident reflects the impunity and disregard for the rule of law that has plagued the Nigerian Police Force,” the NBA said in its statement.
The association pledged to file official complaints and pursue legal action to enforce Okpaga’s rights.
It also called on the police to take swift action against the officers involved in the assault.
“The NBA will not stand idly by while its members are subjected to such egregious acts of violence,” the statement added.
Thomas’s case is not an isolated incident. Activists and human rights groups have repeatedly accused the Nigerian Police Force of misconduct, ranging from unlawful detention to physical abuse.
Inspector General Egbetokun and Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi have been singled out in this case for their alleged involvement in ordering Thomas’s arrest.
Thomas’s arrest and detention have sparked public outrage, with many Nigerians criticising the police for their treatment of both the activist and her lawyer.
