Activist Olamide Thomas Collapses In Police Custody: Denied Medical Care Amid Health Crisis

Renowned Activist Olamide Thomas Collapses in Custody Due to Police Neglect
LMSINT MEDIA reports that Olamide Thomas, a prominent human rights activist, collapsed while in custody at the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) in Abuja. Despite suffering from asthma and peptic ulcers, which had caused internal bleeding since Monday, the activist was reportedly denied medical attention.

Her lawyer, Barr. Ernest Chukwuemeka Okpaga, expressed outrage, stating that police officers ignored repeated pleas for medical care and refused him and Thomas’ relatives access to see her.

Alarming Events During Detention
On Thursday, Okpaga revealed the sequence of events. Thomas collapsed after giving her statement, and instead of taking immediate medical action, the Assistant Director of Administration at the National Cybercrime Centre (NCCC) ordered both Thomas and her lawyer to be locked in an interrogation room.

“I resisted being detained, but officers assaulted me,” Okpaga recounted. Eventually, after persistent appeals, Thomas was rushed to a police hospital in Area 11, Garki, Abuja, where she is now receiving treatment.

Health Crisis Ignored
Earlier in her detention, Thomas had cried out about her deteriorating condition, describing severe internal bleeding and unbearable pain. She accused officers of harassment, bullying, and deliberate negligence due to her outspoken criticism of Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun and Force Public Relations Officer Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

Abduction and Detention Orders
Thomas revealed that she was abducted last Friday in Lagos, after her brother was allegedly used to track her location. Sources within the police confirmed that her detention was ordered by IGP Egbetokun, not because of any evidence of wrongdoing but as retaliation for her activism.

A police source stated, “We found nothing incriminating against her. This detention was purely the IGP’s directive.”

The activist’s ordeal highlights ongoing concerns about police misconduct and the suppression of human rights defenders in Nigeria.