Olamide Thomas, a nurse and activist detained for her social media comments against President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is currently receiving medical care at the Muhammadu Buhari Police Hospital in Garki, Abuja, after collapsing in police custody.
Her lawyer, Ernest Okpaga, confirmed the situation to Premium Times on Thursday, explaining that Thomas had been struggling with severe health issues since her detention.
According to Okpaga, Thomas suffers from asthma and peptic ulcer, both of which worsened during her time in custody. He stated, “She had been bleeding since Monday, and despite her repeated complaints about her health, officers at the Nigeria Police Force Cyber-Crime Centre (NCCC) neglected her until she collapsed on Thursday.” When Okpaga returned to the facility, he found Thomas had fallen unconscious, prompting her immediate transfer to the hospital for urgent care.
“I inquired about what had happened, and I was informed that Thomas Abiodun had collapsed shortly after making her statement,” he added.
Thomas was arrested last Friday following comments she made in a live Facebook video, in which she allegedly cursed the children of President Tinubu, Inspector-General of Police Kayode Egbetokun, and Force Public Relations Officer Muyiwa Adejobi. The remarks, made on October 20, followed an incident where Thomas was reportedly assaulted by police officers during the #EndSARS memorial procession at the Lekki Tollgate.
The activist was taken from her home in Shomolu, Lagos, in the early hours of Friday, and was denied administrative bail at Panti Police Station in Lagos. She was subsequently flown to Abuja the following day. Upon arrival, Thomas was handed over to the Cybercrime Unit of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) before being transferred to the NCCC. It was at this facility that she collapsed on Thursday.
In the controversial video, Thomas, visibly distressed, expressed her grievances and invoked divine retribution, directing strong curses at Tinubu, Egbetokun, and Adejobi. Her emotional outburst seemed to be fueled by a combination of the earlier police violence and her sense of injustice. During the video, she was seen pleading for bystanders to pour water on her head after she appeared to have inhaled tear gas.
Thomas’ health condition and the treatment she has received in custody have sparked further concern and outrage from human rights advocates, who have called for an immediate review of her detention and the circumstances surrounding her arrest. The case highlights ongoing concerns regarding police conduct and the treatment of activists in the country.
