A coalition of women’s rights organizations, Womanifesto has demanded the immediate release of a woman, Chioma Okolii who has been detained since September 2023 over alleged defamation against Erisco Foods Limited.
The coalition in a statement signed by over 150 organizations, including Women Advocates and Research Documentation Centre (WARDC), Purple Woman Foundation, and ActionAid Nigeria, condemned the continued detention of Okoli, which has resulted in the loss of her pregnancy and livelihood.
The group also criticized Erisco for prioritizing profits over the health and wellbeing of Nigerians, and called on the government to investigate the company’s products and labels.
They demanded justice for Okoli and “an end to the harassment and intimidation of women who speak out against injustice.”