An Abuja businessman, David Nwokorie, has filed a fundamental rights suit before the Federal High Court, suing the Nigeria Police Force, the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission and his former partner, Genevieve Nneoma Opara, over his arrest and detention.
Nwokorie is seeking ₦100 million in damages, alleging that his arrest and subsequent treatment in custody violated his fundamental rights.
The case has also brought renewed attention to allegations involving Opara, a staff member of the National Pension Commission (PenCom), and members of her family.
According to court papers, Nwokorie alleges that Opara was involved in a January 2025 break-in at his residence and that the incident preceded the criminal allegations and his eventual arrest in April 2025.
In an affidavit filed in support of his fundamental rights application, Nwokorie said he and Opara co-founded the Genieve and David Empowerment Foundation in 2024 and later entered into a romantic relationship.
He alleged that he ended the relationship after discovering that Opara was married with children.
Nwokorie further alleged that on January 25, 2025, Opara entered his home with a police officer while he was away.
According to him, furniture and electronic equipment were damaged during the incident, while valuables including jewellery, shoes, wristwatches and cash were allegedly taken from the property.
He claimed that Opara later promised to return the items and compensate him for the alleged damage but failed to do so.
Nwokorie said he subsequently instructed his lawyer to demand ₦25 million in restitution over the alleged losses and damage.
The court papers identify the police officer accompanying Opara in one section as Gozie Opara, described as a Superintendent of Police. Separate material in the dispute identifies Genevieve Opara’s younger brother as SP Bruno Opara.
Nwokorie was subsequently arrested in April 2025 over allegations including cyberstalking, cyberbullying, blackmail and threats to life.
Genevieve Opara had previously told SaharaReporters that Nwokorie was being detained over allegations of blackmail, cyberbullying and threats but declined to discuss the substance of the case, referring the publication to her lawyer.
Her lawyer also declined to comment, saying the matter was before a court.
In his fundamental-rights suit, Nwokorie alleges that the police arrested him without a warrant, handcuffed and blindfolded him, denied him access to a lawyer and pressured him to write a statement.
He further alleges that he was held in poor conditions, became ill while in custody and was denied proper medical attention.
The full response of the police to these allegations was not contained in the materials supplied.
The dispute has also generated a separate petition by Nwokorie to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), dated September 23, 2026.
In the petition, Nwokorie alleges that retired Deputy Inspector-General of Police Hilary Opara, whom he identifies as Genevieve Opara’s father, attempted to influence how he was treated at the Kuje Custodial Centre.
Nwokorie alleges that on or about July 20, 2026, Hilary Opara contacted an officer in charge of the custodial centre while Nwokorie was being held there.
According to the petition, the correctional official did not comply with the alleged request and later informed Nwokorie about the telephone call.
Nwokorie quoted the official as saying: “The father of the nominal complainant called me and asked me to … ‘treat your f***-up.’”
He has asked the NHRC and other authorities to establish the identity of the caller, determine what was said and investigate whether any action followed the alleged communication.
He also requested the preservation of telephone records, call logs, CCTV footage, visitor records and internal communications that could assist any investigation.
Nwokorie further asked that the correctional official and other relevant personnel be interviewed confidentially.
The petition alleges that individuals connected to Genevieve Opara’s family had previously put pressure on correctional personnel.
However, Nwokorie urged investigators not to assume that every member of the family was involved in any alleged wrongdoing.
“The fact that a person is related to a complainant cannot itself establish liability,” he said.
He added that “a family relationship should not prevent an investigation where specific allegations of unlawful interference have been made.”
The allegations concerning the Kuje Custodial Centre also follow a July report by SaharaReporters, which cited sources at the facility as claiming that Hilary Opara had contacted prison authorities seeking harsher treatment for Nwokorie.
A correctional official was quoted as saying: “We were shocked by the request. We simply told him not to worry, but that does not mean anybody agreed to carry out what he allegedly wanted.”
Nwokorie has nevertheless asked authorities to establish the facts surrounding the alleged communication rather than assume that any telephone call, if made, amounted to unlawful interference.
His petition also questions the circumstances surrounding his continued detention following a reported bail ruling.
According to the petition, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court granted Nwokorie bail on July 14, but he remained in custody because of stringent conditions, including a requirement for a serving Nigerian Army colonel to act as surety.
Nwokorie has asked the authorities to verify the certified court ruling and determine whether anyone attempted to frustrate its implementation or whether outside communications had any influence on the process.
“A bail order is a judicial instrument,” Nwokorie said, arguing that it should be implemented according to the law and the court’s directions, “not by personal influence, private retaliation or the wishes of a complainant’s relative.”
He has asked the NHRC and other relevant authorities to examine the length of his detention, the bail conditions and the status of the criminal proceedings against him.
Nwokorie has also maintained that his fundamental-rights case and NHRC petition are separate from the criminal allegations against him.
“I am not asking any human-rights institution to determine the merits of the criminal allegations against me,” he said.
“My complaint concerns the separate issue of whether I have been or may be subjected to unlawful treatment, intimidation or punishment outside the procedures authorised by law.”
He has asked the NHRC to assess his safety, ensure that his treatment in custody is determined by lawful correctional authorities, preserve potentially relevant evidence and refer any suspected criminal conduct to an independent investigative body.
He has also sought protection for potential witnesses against intimidation or retaliation.
The fundamental-rights proceedings now place before the Federal High Court questions surrounding the circumstances of Nwokorie’s arrest and detention, the alleged January 2025 incident at his residence, the conduct of the police investigation and whether his constitutional rights were respected.
The suit is seeking ₦100 million in damages, while the separate NHRC petition seeks investigation into the alleged interference at Kuje and related custody concerns.
The criminal allegations against Nwokorie remain separate proceedings, and the competing allegations involving the parties are matters for the appropriate authorities and courts to determine.