Court dismisses Blessing Okoro’s fundamental human rights suit against IGP

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Ikoyi, Lagos, has dismissed the fundamental rights suit initiated against the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and Mrs. Folashade Samuels by social media influencer Blessing Okoro.

It is recalled that Okoro, also known as Blessing CEO, claimed in her fundamental rights action that her arrest and invitation by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) violated her fundamental human rights.

Among other claims, the social media influencer insisted that her arrest and detention were against the provisions of the law regarding the protection of her rights. Okoro also prayed the court to grant a perpetual order restraining the police from tampering with her freedom.

However, Justice Lewis-Allagoa, in his judgment, dismissed all the requests made by the social media influencer. He held that it was evident the police acted based on a criminal complaint lodged against her, stating that the police acted within established law to invite, arrest, and detain the social media celebrity. The judge added that there was no evidence that the petition was written in bad faith or fabricated.

Addressing the court, Rotshang Dimka, the counsel for the NPF, hinted that Okoro allegedly used her Instagram page to “bully, threaten, and harass” Folashade Samuels, sister to the late Bimbo Ogbonna, wife of the Lagos-based auto-dealer Ikechukwu Ogbonna, also known as IVD.

Dimka further informed the court that Okoro used her Instagram handle to “injure the reputation of Samuels and the late Bimbo Ogbonna by exposing them to hatred, contempt, and ridicule” via the internet.

After three weeks in detention, Okoro was granted bail by Justice Bogoro.

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