An Appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and IGP Olatunji Disu: The Pattern of State Sponsored Abduction in the Cases of Dr. Jackie Ikeotuonye and Mrs. Tracy Ohiri -By Prof. John Egbeazien Oshodi

To: Bola Ahmed Tinubu

President, Federal Republic of Nigeria

To: Olatunji Disu

Inspector General of Police, Nigeria Police Force

Mr. President, Mr. Inspector General,

This plea is written to demand an immediate institutional response to a deeply troubling pattern of alleged human rights abuses involving the use of the Nigerian Police Force in matters connected to the Honourable Minister of Works, David Umahi.

These allegations raise serious questions about the use of state security institutions to pursue what appear to be private or civil disputes. If such practices are allowed to continue unchecked, they represent not only a violation of the constitutional rights of Nigerian citizens but also a profound erosion of the rule of law.

The use of police power to intimidate or forcibly apprehend individuals in matters that belong in civil courts is inconsistent with democratic governance and professional policing. Nigeria cannot build public trust in its institutions if citizens believe that the machinery of the state can be deployed at the request of powerful individuals.

Documentation of a Concerning Pattern

Two cases that have recently attracted public attention appear to reveal a troubling similarity in operational approach.

The Case of Mrs. Tracy Ohiri

Recent reports indicate that Mrs. Tracy Ohiri was apprehended under circumstances that have alarmed observers and human rights advocates. According to available reports, she was intercepted by police officers as she arrived at her residence in Lagos and subsequently transported to Abuja. The manner of the operation has been described by witnesses as resembling an abduction rather than a standard investigative procedure.

Further concerns arise from reports suggesting that the matter relates to a financial dispute that allegedly dates back more than a decade. The apparent use of cybercrime related allegations in connection with an old civil dispute raises serious questions about whether criminal enforcement mechanisms are being applied inappropriately.

Reports also indicate that hospital environments were allegedly monitored or restricted in connection with the incident, raising additional questions about whether excessive policing measures were used in circumstances that should ordinarily be resolved through civil legal mechanisms.

The Case of Dr. Jackie Ikeotuonye

A similar situation has been alleged by Dr. Jackie Ikeotuonye, Chief Executive Officer of Andrew Bishopton Limited. She has publicly stated that she was forcibly taken from her residence in Abuja by armed police officers and transported to Ebonyi State despite having reportedly secured a valid court judgment regarding consultancy fees connected to infrastructure contracts.

Dr. Ikeotuonye further alleges that she was threatened and pressured to withdraw the court judgment, which reportedly involves claims exceeding one hundred million dollars. If these allegations are substantiated, they represent a grave breach of judicial authority and due process.

The allegation that an individual who has obtained a court judgment could be pressured through law enforcement intervention to abandon that judgment represents a disturbing collision between executive influence and judicial authority.

Constitutional Concerns

Nigeria’s Constitution provides clear protections for citizens against arbitrary arrest, intimidation, and unlawful deprivation of liberty.

Section 34 of the Constitution protects the dignity of the human person and prohibits degrading treatment.

Section 35 guarantees personal liberty and establishes that no individual shall be deprived of freedom except in accordance with procedures permitted by law.

Section 36 guarantees the right to fair hearing and respect for judicial process.

When police operations appear to be used in matters that originate from contractual disputes or civil claims, serious constitutional questions arise. The criminal justice system cannot become an instrument through which powerful actors bypass civil litigation or judicial outcomes.

The rule of law requires that the authority of the courts must remain superior to the preferences of political office holders or powerful individuals.

International Human Rights Standards

Nigeria is also bound by international standards governing the conduct of law enforcement institutions.

The United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials establish that police authority must be exercised only for legitimate law enforcement purposes and with strict respect for human rights.

The African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights also affirms the protection of liberty, dignity, and fair legal process.

When allegations emerge suggesting that police operations may have been used in civil or commercial disputes, such practices raise concerns not only domestically but also within international human rights monitoring frameworks.

Nigeria has worked for decades to strengthen its democratic reputation. Incidents that suggest misuse of state security institutions risk undermining that progress.

Institutional Implications

Nigeria already faces significant challenges related to insecurity, governance, and public trust in institutions. The credibility of the Nigerian Police Force is therefore of immense national importance.

When allegations arise suggesting that police officers may be used to settle private disputes, intimidate individuals, or override court judgments, the consequences extend far beyond the individuals involved.

Such practices risk undermining confidence in the rule of law, discouraging domestic and foreign investment, and reinforcing the perception that powerful political figures can deploy state institutions for personal advantage.

Even the appearance of such conduct damages the credibility of Nigeria’s justice system.

Nigeria’s business environment also depends on the assurance that contractual disputes will be resolved through transparent legal processes rather than coercive enforcement by security agencies.

Investors and professionals must feel confident that the courts remain the final authority in civil disputes.

Psychological Implications of Power Abuse

When state institutions are perceived as tools of individual influence rather than guardians of public order, a deep psychological effect emerges within society.

Citizens begin to internalize fear rather than trust. Instead of viewing law enforcement officers as protectors, they begin to see them as agents of intimidation acting on behalf of powerful interests.

This phenomenon produces what psychologists describe as institutional distrust, a condition in which citizens withdraw confidence from the structures meant to protect them.

Once institutional distrust becomes widespread, the consequences include reduced cooperation with law enforcement, weakened civic engagement, and long term erosion of democratic legitimacy.

A healthy state requires that the police remain visibly neutral and professionally independent.

A Call for Immediate Institutional Action

To President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, these allegations deserve immediate attention. Nigeria’s reputation as a democratic nation depends on the ability of its institutions to demonstrate accountability and respect for the rule of law. An independent and transparent review of these incidents would send a powerful message that the government does not tolerate the misuse of state power.

To Inspector General of Police Olatunji Disu, the integrity of the Nigeria Police Force must be protected. A professional investigation should be conducted into the officers involved in these operations to determine whether proper procedures were followed and whether the police were used in matters that fall outside legitimate criminal jurisdiction.

Officers who violate constitutional protections or professional standards must be held accountable in accordance with the law.

The Nigeria Police Force has an opportunity to demonstrate that its institutional loyalty lies with the Constitution and the Nigerian people rather than with any individual office holder.

A Message to the Nigerian Public

Citizens also carry responsibility in defending the rule of law. When abuses of power occur and society responds only with temporary outrage before returning to silence, the cycle continues.

A nation cannot build stability or economic progress if its security institutions are perceived as instruments of personal influence rather than guardians of justice.

Civic vigilance is therefore essential to preserving democratic institutions.

Civic Reflection

In every society, the strength of leadership is measured by how power is exercised, especially toward those who are less powerful. When security institutions are perceived as tools used against citizens rather than protectors of their rights, the moral foundation of governance begins to erode.

When the blue uniform becomes associated with fear rather than public protection, trust in institutions begins to collapse.

When citizens remain silent in the face of such patterns, the boundaries that protect justice gradually weaken.

Nigeria now stands at a moment that requires institutional courage. Justice, transparency, and accountability must prevail.

The world is watching. Nigeria must demonstrate that its institutions remain firmly committed to the rule of law.

Final Reflection

Nations are not judged only by the power of their leaders but by the strength of their institutions. When law enforcement agencies are perceived as instruments of private influence rather than guardians of justice, the credibility of the entire system begins to weaken.

The uniform of the police must represent protection, fairness, and the rule of law. When citizens begin to fear the very institutions meant to protect them, the social contract between the state and the people becomes fragile.

Nigeria cannot afford such erosion of trust. A country seeking economic growth, democratic stability, and international respect must ensure that its security institutions remain neutral, professional, and accountable.

This moment calls for leadership, transparency, and decisive institutional action.

The Nigerian people are watching. The international community is watching. History will also be watching how these concerns are addressed.

Nigeria must show that the rule of law is stronger than the influence of any individual.

About the Author

Prof. John Egbeazien Oshodi is an American psychologist, an expert in policing and corrections, and an educator with expertise in forensic, legal, clinical, and cross-cultural psychology, including public ethical policy. A native of Uromi, Edo State, Nigeria, and son of a 37-year veteran of the Nigeria Police Force, he has long worked at the intersection of psychology, justice, and governance. In 2011, he helped introduce advanced forensic psychology to Nigeria through the National Universities Commission and Nasarawa State University, where he served as Associate Professor of Psychology.

He teaches in the Doctorate in Clinical and School Psychology at Nova Southeastern University; the Doctorate Clinical Psychology, BS Psychology, and BS Tempo Criminal Justice programs at Walden University; serves as a visiting virtual professor in the Department of Psychology at Nasarawa State University; and lectures virtually in Management and Leadership Studies at Weldios University and ISCOM University. He is also the President and Chief Psychologist at the Oshodi Foundation, Center for Psychological and Forensic Services, United States.

Prof. Oshodi is a Black Republican in the United States but belongs to no political party in Nigeria—his work is guided solely by justice, good governance, democracy, and Africa’s development. He is the founder of Psychoafricalysis (Psychoafricalytic Psychology), a culturally grounded framework that integrates African sociocultural realities, historical awareness, and future-oriented identity. He has authored more than 700 articles, multiple books, and numerous peer-reviewed works on Africentric psychology, higher education reform, forensic and correctional psychology, African democracy, and decolonized models of clinical and community engagement.