An activist detained for her social media comments against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Olamide Thomas, is currently receiving treatment at the Muhammadu Buhari Police Hospital in Garki, Abuja, after collapsing in police custody....CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE➤
Her lawyer, Ernest Okpaga, confirmed the news to Premium Times on Thursday, stating that Thomas had been suffering from severe health issues since her detention.
Thomas was arrested early last Friday at her home in Shomolu, Lagos, and was flown to Abuja the following day.
Since being held at the Nigeria Police Force’s Cyber-Crime Centre, her health had reportedly worsened, with no initial access to medical care.
Okpaga described the sequence of events that led to Thomas being hospitalized. He explained that after she completed her statement in the interrogation room on Thursday, he had left the premises. However, he was soon called back by officers who informed him that Thomas had collapsed. Upon returning, Okpaga discovered Thomas had fainted and was immediately transferred to the hospital for urgent medical attention.
The arrest stemmed from remarks made by Thomas during a live Facebook video on October 20, in which she cursed the children of President Tinubu, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and Force PRO Muyiwa Adejobi. The video followed an incident in which she was reportedly brutalized by police officers during the #EndSARS memorial procession at the Lekki Tollgate.
After being arrested at her Shomolu residence in the early hours of Friday, Thomas was denied administrative bail at Panti Police Station in Lagos and flown to Abuja the following day. Upon arrival, she was handed over to the cybercrime unit of the Force Criminal Investigation Department before being transferred to the NCCC.
In her Facebook video, Thomas expressed anger and frustration, calling on divine intervention and condemning the police officers involved in her mistreatment. The video also showed her asking bystanders to pour water on her head after she appeared to have inhaled teargas.
Okpaga further revealed that Thomas suffers from asthma and a peptic ulcer, conditions that worsened during her time in custody. He stated that she had been bleeding since Monday and had complained about her health, but her concerns were ignored until she collapsed on Thursday.
Okpaga stated, “She had been bleeding since Monday, and despite her complaints about her health, officers at the Nigeria Police Force Cyber-Crime Centre (NCCC) ignored her until she slumped on Thursday.”
Okpaga recounted the events leading up to Thomas’ hospitalisation. “She finished writing her statement in the interrogation room on Thursday, and I had just left the premises when I heard officers shouting my name to come back,” he said.
“I came back and enquired what the issue was. I was told that Thomas Abiodun had collapsed shortly after making her statement,” he added. ...CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE➤
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