A pregnant Nigerian businesswoman has revealed the shocking treatment she received at the hands of police who arrested her after she posted a negative review of a can of tomato puree on Facebook.
Chioma Okoli, a 39-year-old businesswoman based in Lagos, the country’s largest city, is being criminally prosecuted and sued in civil court after she made negative comments about a product made by Nigerian food manufacturer Erisco Foods.
She called on her 18,000 Facebook followers to share their opinions on Ericso’s Nagiko Tomato Mix, after sharing a photo of an open can of the product and saying it was too sweet.
The businesswoman, currently pregnant with her fourth child, revealed that she feared for her life and that of her children after plainclothes officers of the Nigerian National Police arrested her in September while she was at church.
She told CNN she was forced to stand in a leaky cell for hours.
‘There were no seats, so I stood until the next day. My legs were in the water (coming in through the roof leaks),’ she said.
Chioma Okoli (pictured) is being criminally prosecuted and sued in civil court after she made negative comments about a product made by Nigerian food manufacturer Erisco Foods.
The businesswoman said the puree was too sweet and asked her Facebook followers to share their opinions about the product.
‘Sometimes I would bend over to reduce the pressure on my legs. I was thinking about my children who were at home. I was talking to myself. “I would think, I would pray, I was a mess,” she added.
She was later flown to the Nigerian capital, Abuja, and held at another police station until she was released on bail a day later.
After refusing to publicly apologize for her comments, Okoli was criminally charged with two separate offences, the most serious of which could put her behind bars for up to seven years.
She was charged with conspiring with two other people with “the intention to incite people against Erisco Foods Limited” and could have to go to prison for up to seven years.
Okoli was also charged with ‘instigating Erisco Foods Limited, knowing that such information was false’, an offense that could result in her being sentenced to prison for three years and fined seven million naira (£3,950).
Police attempted to arrest her a second time in January, entering her Lagos home in apparent violation of a court-issued restraining order that explicitly prohibited them from arresting her without a warrant.
‘They stayed in my building from 6:30 am until 5:30 pm. “My children couldn’t go to school that day and we couldn’t go out to get food because we ran out of cooking gas,” she said, adding that the police eventually backed down and left.
Erisco itself is also pursuing a civil suit against her, after claiming earlier this year that “several suppliers” cut ties with the company following her comments, and is seeking 5bn naira (£2.8m) in damages. of damages.
He called on his 18,000 Facebook followers to share their thoughts on Ericso’s Nagiko Tomato Mix (pictured).
The company’s CEO, Eric Umeofia, has been criticized in Nigeria for his threatening behavior towards Okoli.
He revealed his speech to the nation during an interview about the ongoing legal battle.
She has launched two countersuits against the police and Erisco, which her legal team has described as a David versus Goliath battle, over their treatment of the businesswoman.
The company’s CEO, Eric Umeofia, has been criticized in Nigeria for his threatening behavior towards Okoli.
She revealed her speech to the nation during an interview about the ongoing legal battle, which her lawyer, Inhibehe Effiong, said was carried out “without regard for the safety of Chioma, her husband and her entire family.”
He also told reporters that “I would rather die than allow anyone to tarnish my image, which I worked 40 years to grow.”
The behavior of the police and Erisco has been criticized by groups around the world.
Chioma Okoli faces up to seven years in prison and is being sued for about $3 million for her negative review.
Amnesty International said: “The harassment and intimidation against Chioma Okoli must end now.”
Nigerians have also said they plan to boycott the company over its treatment of Okoli.
One social media user said: ‘Erisco is oppressive, sensitive, insensitive and completely irresponsible in his response.
She may have been wrong, but you have made an unforgettable mistake with your overreactions.
“With power comes responsibility, but power has no responsibility.”
Another said: ‘Someone gave an honest review of a product they used. A billionaire drunk with power decided to intimidate his client.
‘This madness can only happen in a lawless country like Nigeria.
‘Every reasonable Nigerian should cancel Ericso. Don’t buy Nagiko tomatoes and don’t buy Erisco products.’