A nurse and activist, Olamide Thomas, has been transferred to Abuja by the Lagos State Police following her arrest for allegedly making inflammatory remarks against the children of President Bola Tinubu and Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Thomas was arrested at her Shomolu residence in Lagos at dawn on Friday, shortly after a live-streamed Facebook video in which she allegedly cursed Tinubu and Egbetokun’s families.
The video was posted on October 20, shortly after she claimed to have been brutalized by police officers during the #EndSARS memorial procession at the Lekki Tollgate.
Sources who spoke with Premium Times revealed that Thomas was denied administrative bail at Panti Police Station in Yaba, Lagos. On Saturday, she was flown to Abuja and handed over to the Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) ‘s cybercrime unit.
When contacted, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, declined to confirm or deny the development, stating, “I do not have any comment on the case at this time.”
Similarly, FCID spokesperson Funmi Eguaoje said, “I’ll let you know when I have the details,” without confirming Thomas’ status.
Netufo Tomide, an activist and one of Ms Thomas’ associates, said, “She has been transferred to the Police Cybercrime Centre under the FCID () in Abuja.”
Another activist in her circle, Folayemi Akinfolarin, noted that Ms Thomas called her to confirm her arrival in Abuja on Saturday with the police.
“I received a call from her informing me that they just landed in Abuja now,” Ms Akinfolarin said.
In the video that led to her arrest, she expressed deep grievances, invoked divine power, and issued severe condemnations of Mr Tinubu, Mr Egbetokun, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi.
Made in her moment of pain and sense of injustice by the police, her remarks included curses foretelling loss and tragedy against them.
The distressed activist was seen in the video pleading with bystanders to pour water on her head, seemingly after inhaling teargas.
Premium Times learnt that Ms Thomas, an activist, was arrested at dawn in Shomolu Lagos State on Friday by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT). This special tactical squad works under the Inspector General of Police.
The police were said to have tracked her to her home through her uncle, who was arrested and detained earlier on Thursday.
Afterwards, Ms Thomas was taken to Panti police station in Lagos and the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja.