Rights activist, Omoyele Sowore, on Wednesday confronted the Minister of Works, Dave Umahi, at the Force Headquarters in Abuja over allegations involving a detained woman.
Bellnews reports that Sowore shared a video of the encounter on his X handle, stating that the incident occurred inside a conference hall at the Federal Capital Territory Police Command.
The woman at the centre of the controversy, Tracynither Nicolas Ohiri, had accused Umahi of owing her ₦250 million for over 12 years.
She is currently in detention and faces charges of cyberbullying the minister.
Ohiri had also alleged that the minister solicited sexual favours from her – an allegation that has heightened public interest in the matter.
In the footage posted by Sowore, Ohiri was seen charging toward the minister before she was restrained by individuals in the room.
Umahi reportedly attempted to leave the venue, but Sowore called out “Minister,” prompting him to turn back briefly and shake hands with the activist.
Sowore was heard telling the minister that he should not use policemen to settle personal scores.
Shortly after, the minister’s aides intervened and escorted him out of the conference hall.
In his post, Sowore alleged that police operatives had effectively “set up shop” for the minister to harass the woman.
He wrote: “Today (yesterday) at the FCT Command of the Nigeria Police Force in Abuja, I confronted the Minister of Works, David Umahi inside a conference room where police operatives had effectively set up shop for him to harass a woman who accused him of owing her and making a pass at her years ago.”
Sowore further claimed that Ohiri was arrested in Lagos and flown to Abuja over what he described as a civil dispute.
He wrote: “A married woman, TracyNither Nicolas Ohiri had been illegally arrested in Lagos on allegations of ‘cyberbullying,’ flown to Abuja, and detained.
“Her alleged offense was accusing David Umahi of owing her ₦250 million for over 12 years, a claim that, at its core, is a civil dispute.
“Rather than treat the matter as such, the police escalated it into a criminal spectacle.”