OVER 48 civil society organisations and stakeholders have called on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, to prevail on his men to release Gloria Okolie, who was allegedly linked to the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra.

They (CSO and stakeholders) condemned the continued detention of Okolie after a court had ordered that the police should either release the suspect on bail or charge her to court.

They also described the act of the security outfit as irresponsible, unconstitutional and contempt of court.

The police had arrested and detained the 22-year-old Gloria since June for allegedly spying for IPOB/ESN.

Her family had claimed that she was used as a maid and sex slave by the officers while in custody.

The PUNCH had reported how Gloria was purportedly detained at the IRT office in Owerri, Imo State before she was transferred to Abuja.

Gloria’s uncle, Christian Okolie, said the policemen had extorted N280,000 in bribes so far and demanded an additional N100,000 to free the young lady.

However, the police said their investigation revealed that Gloria was a member of IPOB/ESN in Imo State, who worked closely with one Benjamin Emojiri, aka Onye Army, an ESN commander earlier declared wanted by the police for his alleged roles in executing the attack on the Imo State Police Command headquarters and the state headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

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But the CSOs and stakeholders, in a joint statement on Thursday, condemned the refusal of the police to obey court orders and urged the police to either release the suspect or produce her in court.

The statement read in part, “We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order his men to release Gloria Okolie on bail immediately or otherwise charge her to court for prosecution if she has any case to answer.

“The police, by their posture, are only lending credence to the fears expressed in some quarters that Gloria may have been violated, including sexually, and likely impregnated. Going by records, this is not beyond the Nigeria Police.

“The police must dispel these fears and suspicion by immediately complying with court orders to release Gloria without further delay. The Nigeria Police cannot be seen to be institutionalising impunity by engaging in acts that are unconstitutional, unlawful, irresponsible and lawless.”