Hold IGP, Erisco Foods CEO responsible if anything happens to my pregnant wife, children, cries husband

The distressed husband of Chioma Edoka Okoli,  Chizoba Okoli, has implored Nigerians to hold the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun and the Chief Executive Officer of Erisco Foods, Chief Eric Umeofia if anything happens to his pregnant wife and his children.

Chizoba who made this call in a four-minute video, narrated the trauma that his wife and children were going through due to the ongoing siege at his home in Sangotedo in Lagos State by policemen allegedly sent by Egbetokun.

It should be recalled that Chioma was previously arrested and detained in September 2023 over her review of a tomato product manufactured by Erisco Foods Limited.

In an earlier press statement, Chioma’s lawyer,  Inibehe Effiong, Esq, accused Egbetokun of sneering and flouting the subsisting order of a court of competent jurisdiction by ordering the rearrest of  Chioma Edoka Okoli, following her review of Erico Tomato paste last year.

Effiong, who condemned the siege on his client, had stated: “My client has not been served with any charge, summons or arraignment notice as required by law. The case before the court is coming up tomorrow, 10th January 2024 for the hearing of the motion the police said they would file to secure a court order to serve my client with their ‘charge’ and accompanying documents.

“The team leader told me over the phone that he is a DSP and that he has four ASPs with him and other police officers. He also told me that the PSO to the IGP spoke with him directly and that he cannot disobey the order of the IGP despite the court order barring the police from re-arresting my client.

“How can the IGP issue a directive to overrule the subsisting order of a court of competent jurisdiction? Is this how we want to develop our country?”

In the short video clip, Chizoba revealed that his wife was pregnant and that his children who were supposed to resume school today could not do so as a result of the house arrest that his family has been subjected to.

Chizoba stated that their cooking gas finished last night and that his pregnant wife and little children had not been able to prepare food and had not eaten since morning because of the ongoing siege at their home by the policemen.

He wondered and questioned the kind of crime his wife had committed to warrant the current harassment by the IGP, despite the subsistence of an order made by the Federal High Court in Lagos that she should not be arrested.

He said the IGP and the CEO of @EriscoFoodsLtd, Chief Eric Umeofia should be held responsible if anything happens to his wife, his children and unborn child.

Chioma was arrested and detained previously last year after she made a post on Facebook to review the sugar quantity of a tomato mix she purchased which is manufactured by Erisco Foods Limited.

She later sued the police and Erisco at the Federal High Court and secured a restraining order.

Chizoba, speaking in the video said: “I just want to put this out there. This morning the police invaded my house, where I live in Lagos and insisted on forcefully arresting my wife without any court order, against the order of Lagos State High Court.

“There was no arrest warrant from any court. They invaded my house and have kept my family under house arrest.  My children were supposed to start school today, but they were not able to go to school. Our cooking gas finished last night, we were supposed to get another this morning, but as I spoke with you, we are not able to do that.

“They have cut off light to my house, so my wife and children are without light and without cooking gas to cook. My wife is pregnant, and I have little children.

“As I speak, there is a court order against police arresting and harassment. The court process is ongoing and we have been cooperative. Tomorrow, we have a case in the Federal High Court Abuja, the same case filed by the Police.

“We are prepared to be there, but this morning, the police came to my house to arrest my wife unlawfully without any cause, no warrant of arrest.

“I want to state here, that if anything happens to my wife, my unborn baby and children, Eric Umeofia and IGP should be held responsible.

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“What is it that my wife had done that the police would lay siege to my house, to the extent of now allowing them to have light, to the extent of not allowing us to go out to get things that we need in the house, to stop my children from going to school.

“What is the crime that the court cannot solve? Why will the Nigeria Police take the law into their hands? Because they feel they are dealing with the less privileged or they feel they are dealing with someone they could crush.
“I believe we are all Nigerians and we should respect the law irrespective of how much money we have.”