Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong has revealed that Chioma Egodi’s letter apologizing to Erisco Foods was written under duress while detained at an Abuja police station.
Effiong, representing Egodi, disclosed this during an interview on Arise TV alongside her husband Chizoba Okoli. This follows Erisco’s CEO displaying the letter after Egodi criticized their tomato paste online.
According to Effiong, he began representing Egodi upon her release from police custody. Okoli narrated how policemen arrested and flew her to Abuja where she was coerced to write the apology.
The lawyer dismissed Erisco’s repeated exhibition of the letter, affirming it was involuntary. Effiong claims Egodi was threatened with further detention if she refused to sign it.
He reiterated that his client had simply commented that the tomato mix contained excessive sugar, not damaging the product itself.
Effiong maintains Egodi was under extreme pressure when writing the apology later brandished by Erisco, rather than it being voluntary. His statements cast doubt on the letter’s legitimacy amidst public outcry over Egodi’s arrest.
Credit: The Nigeria Lawyer