CSOs Petition President Tinubu Over Non-Compliance with Court Judgments in Gloria Okolie’s Case

A coalition of 38 civil society organizations (CSOs), including Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), have jointly petitioned President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, calling for his urgent intervention in the enforcement of court judgments in favor of Miss Gloria Okolie, a 21-year-old Nigerian who suffered prolonged unlawful detention and rights violations at the hands of the Nigeria Police Force.

Miss Okolie was arrested on June 17, 2021, by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at Tiger Base, Owerri, Imo State. She was held incommunicado for over 70 days, during which she was subjected to forced domestic servitude, denied access to her family and legal representation, and exploited for extortion before the police acknowledged her detention.

Following legal proceedings, both the Federal High Court in Abuja and the ECOWAS Court of Justice declared that her fundamental rights had been grossly violated. In June 2022, the FCT High Court awarded ₦60 million in damages, while the ECOWAS Court awarded an additional ₦30 million, bringing the total compensation to ₦90 million.

More than a year later, however, these binding judgments remain unimplemented. Despite repeated appeals, the Attorney-General of the Federation has failed to enforce compliance, leaving Miss Okolie without justice.

In our petition dated August 21, 2025, we underscored that the continued non-compliance with these judgments undermines public confidence in Nigeria’s justice system and damages the country’s international credibility.

We therefore call on President Tinubu to:

1. Direct the Attorney-General of the Federation to ensure immediate compliance with the rulings of both the FCT High Court and the ECOWAS Court.

2. Mandate the Nigeria Police Force to pay Miss Okolie the total ₦90 million compensation awarded.

3. Demonstrate his administration’s commitment to the rule of law and human rights by ensuring accountability for law enforcement agencies involved.

Gloria Okolie’s case is emblematic of a wider challenge of impunity and disregard for judicial authority in Nigeria. Addressing this case decisively will not only provide overdue justice to a young Nigerian woman but will also reaffirm the government’s commitment to democratic values and the rule of law.

The petition was endorsed by Amnesty International Nigeria, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC), Media Rights Agenda, Spaces for Change, Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD), Nchekwa Ndi Ogbenye Foundation, Sterling Law Centre, Women in Media Communications Initiative (WIM), Dataphyte Foundation, Building Blocks for Peace Foundation, among others.

We urge President Tinubu to act without delay to uphold justice and restore confidence in Nigeria’s legal system.