The scheduled hearing of a fundamental rights enforcement suit filed by Mrs. Chioma Edoka Okoli against Erisco Foods Limited and seven others was stalled on Tuesday due to the absence of the presiding judge.
Okoli’s lawyer, human rights activist Barrister Inibehe Effiong, disclosed this in a statement posted on his verified X (formerly Twitter) account, where he provided an update on the case’s status.
Effiong said, “The fundamental rights enforcement suit we filed in 2023 on behalf of Mrs. Chioma Edoka Okoli against Erisco Foods Limited & 7 Ors. was slated for hearing today, October 7, 2025, at the Federal High Court, Lagos.
“Regrettably, my Lord did not sit today due to an official assignment.”
He further revealed that the case has now been adjourned to January 14, 2026, for hearing.
SaharaReporters reported on October 26, 2023, that Okoli, who was arrested and detained for three days after she reviewed Erisco Foods’ tomato product on Facebook, instituted a fundamental rights enforcement suit against the tomato manufacturing company, Erisco Foods Limited, over the violation of her rights to the dignity of a human person.
Joined in the suit No. FHC/L/CS/2164/2023, according to the Originating Motion on Notice, are the President/CEO of Erisco, Chief Eric Umeofia, Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.
Other Respondents in the lawsuit are the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, and two investigating police officers, CSP Oliver Odimega and DSP Joel Nimfa.
In the suit filed at the Federal High Court, Lagos Judicial Division, through Effiong Okoli, the plaintiff also sought N500 million in damages.
In a 41 paragraphed affidavit deposed to by Okoli in support of the suit, the then nursing mother gave a graphic account of how policemen, acting on the instigation of Erisco Foods Limited and its President/CEO, Chief Eric Umeofia, arrested her from St. Andrews Anglican Church in Ogudu, Lagos on September 24, 2023 without prior invitation, and detained her at the Ogudu Police Station.
According to her, the police officers forced her to board a ValueJet flight the next day to Abuja, where she was further detained at the Asokoro Police Station.
She noted that the officers took her before the head of the IGP Monitoring Unit, DCP Elleman, and the Erisco Foods boss, Chief Eric Umeofia, on September 26, 2023, and subjected her to further humiliation, intimidation, and abuse.
She narrated how Umeofia repeatedly boasted in the presence of the police officers that he could have kidnapped and killed her, and nothing would happen.
She also accused the police of refusing to make facilities for her to bathe and defecate for the three days she was in police custody.
She accused the police and Umeofia of forcing her to write an apology letter. She said they demanded that she post the apology on Facebook and delete her review of the Nagiko Tomato Mix from her Facebook account as preconditions for her release.
Okoli had asked the court to compel Erisco Foods Limited, Umeofia, the Nigeria Police Force, and other Respondents to pay her the sum of N500 million as general and exemplary damages and also tender a public apology to her in national newspapers and on Facebook.
In his statement on Tuesday, Effiong added that a second fundamental rights suit filed by Okoli against Erisco Foods and the Nigeria Police Force is also pending before the Federal High Court in Lagos.
Providing additional updates, Effiong stated, “The second fundamental rights suit filed by us against Erisco and the Police is also pending at the Federal High Court in Lagos.
“The charge of cyberstalking filed by the Inspector General of Police against Chioma at the Federal High Court in Abuja is fixed for 28th October, 2025, for the commencement of trial.”
He also disclosed that two separate libel suits have been instituted by Erisco Foods Limited and its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Eric Umeofia, as well as a counterclaim filed by Okoli against both parties, which are currently pending before the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja Judicial Division.
Effiong stated, “In addition to the above, two libel cases filed by Erisco Foods Limited and Chief Eric Umeofia, respectively, with a counterclaim filed by Chioma against Erisco and Chief Umeofia, are equally pending at the High Court of Lagos State, Ikeja Judicial Division.
“In total, there are five cases arising from Chioma’s tomato review, all of which we are handling pro bono for our client, that are pending in different courts.”
The lawyer stated that his update was intended to clarify the status of the multiple cases related to the controversy surrounding Okoli’s viral review of an Erisco tomato product in 2023.
“This information is intended to offer clarity to those who have been asking questions about the status of the case(s),” he said.
“History will vindicate the just.”
