Chioma & Erisco Foods Saga: Authorities Reprimand Nigerians For Donating Over N1.9 Million

Authorities reprimand nigerians for donating Over N1.9 Million through crowdfunding to Chioma Okoli's legal case against Erisco. Foods

Chioma Okoli has been summoned by Nigerian police to appear so that the legal process concerning her and Erisco Foods Limited can proceed.

According to MON DIARIES, Inibehe Effiong, a human rights attorney, requested permission from the court to transfer the lawsuit from Abuja to Lagos.

Erisco Foods Limited filed a lawsuit against Mrs. Chioma Okoli, a female client who had been detained earlier for evaluating one of the company's tomato products.

Police officers raided Okoli's Lagos State home in January, purportedly on the Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun's orders.

Without first obtaining a court order granting them permission, the Abuja police team—who claimed to be operating under the direction of the Inspector General of Police—moved to re-arrest Okoli.

Effiong revealed in January as well that Okoli had received a N1.9 million donation for legal fees from Nigerians.

Chioma Okoli Gets N1.9M Donation To Support Legal Battle With Erisco Foods Over Tomato Review As Case Suffers Delay Over Judge’s Promotion, according to Sahara Report.

However, in a statement released on Thursday, Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi reiterated the police's commitment to “upholding the rule of law in the Erisco Tomato matter.”

He asserts that it is critical to warn the public about disseminating false information and trying to influence public opinion.

The use of crowdfunding to influence court proceedings is one of the most concerning recent developments in the case, he said. Such actions are highly antagonistic to the rule of law and compromise the integrity of the justice system, as well as the principles of fairness and accountability.

Adejobi cautioned Nigerians to embrace the rule of law and avoid expressing any emotions regarding the case, particularly among social media influencers.

He declared that the actions of some people would not stop the police from tampering with justice in any way.

He remarked: “The Nigeria Police Force reaffirms its commitment to upholding the rule of law in the Erisco Tomato matter.

“The involvement of Mrs. Chioma warrants scrutiny as she stands accused of violating some salient parts of the Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc) Act, 2015 as preliminary investigations conducted have unearthed compelling evidence indicating Mrs. Chioma's alleged role in the violation of extant laws, particularly those related to the proper use of the cyber space.

“At this juncture, it is imperative to caution members of the public against spreading misinformation and attempting to manipulate public sentiment. The law operates impartially, and any attempt to subvert it will be met with the full force of legal action.

“The recent developments in the case are deeply worrisome, particularly the use of crowdfunding as a means to influence legal proceedings. Such actions undermine the integrity of the justice system and threaten the principles of fairness and accountability as they are highly inimical to the existence of the rule of law.

“This case in point underscores the necessity of enforcing existing legislation, including the Cybercrime Act, to counteract the current spate of violations of the Act and spread of misinformation and disinformation on social media. It is vital to reaffirm that the Nigeria Police is poised to enforce all laws without fear, favour, or sentiments in its commitment to ensuring justice and transparency for all citizens.”

“We therefore advise the suspect to cease the continual jumping bail and turn up in court, as a neutral arbiter, to determine the matter, and allow justice to take its course, while we admonish Nigerians, most especially social media influencers, to resort to embracing the rule of law, and shun all display of sentiments in the case, and in many others as the police will not be deterred by the antics of certain individuals to pervert justice in any way,” the statement added.