Some former domestic workers of ex-first lady Patience Jonathan, reportedly held at the Okaka Custodial Centre in Bayelsa state, have decried their alleged maltreatment and delayed trial.
The workers, who have been in detention since 2019, appealed for help, saying they are languishing in prison without any evidence against them.
Those affected are Williams Alami, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, John Dashe, Tamunokuro Abaku, Emmanuel Aginwa, Erema Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Tamunosiki Achese, Sunday Reginald, Vivian Golden, Emeka Benson, Boma Oba, Salomi Wareboka, and Sahabi Lima.
According to one of the detainees, they were arrested in 2019 over an alleged break-in at one of Jonathan’s apartments in Otuoke, despite not working in that apartment.
“We have been in prison since 2019. We were domestic staff of the former first lady, Patience Jonathan. In 2019, there was a case of breaking into one of her apartments in Otuoke, and she decided to arrest all her workers,” one of the detainees said.
The workers were accused of stealing seven gold bangles and jewellery, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstery chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions valued at N200m, and were also slammed with 18 counts bordering on conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to commit felony, and burglary.
A charge read, “Golden Vivian, Erama Deborah, Precious Kingsley, Vincent Olabiyi, Ebuka Cosmos, Wiliams Alami, Tamunokuro Abaku, Boma Oba, Emmanuel Aginwa, Emeka Benson, Tamunosiki Achese Fiberesima, Wariboko Salome, Sahabi Liman, Reginald Sunday, John Dashe and others now at large, sometime in June 2019 at Otuoke community in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did conspire to kill Her Excellency Dame Patience Jonathan (former First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and thereby committed an offence.”
“These people want to kill us. In this prison, they are threatening us. Anything you can do for us to leave here, please do. When I was at the station, they tortured us and (threatened) they would take us to the back and beat and hang us,” one inmate said.
Efforts by Tech4Justice, a human rights organisation, to secure the release of the defendants on bail were frustrated.
The organisation accused the Bayelsa state judiciary of succumbing to pressure from influential individuals close to the former first lady.
Funmi Adedoyin, a legal associate of the group, said the prosecution is yet to close its case, adding that the accused persons had not opened their defence, and that the matter had been adjourned over 40 times between 2019 and 2025.
“We have filed applications, made representations, and sought bail on many occasions,” she said.
But the judiciary appears unwilling to proceed with the case. These young men and women have been forgotten in prison.”
