Miss Ibrahim Mariam Titilayo, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Akure, Ondo State, has been released after weeks of unlawful detention and harassment by the Nigerian Police.
The 24-year-old law-abiding citizen was initially arrested on 16th October 2025 by officers from Abuja without a warrant or explanation.
Miss Titilayo was taken to the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) in Akure, where her personal phones—an iPhone 12 Pro Max and a smaller Itel device—were seized along with her WiFi connection.
She was then shown a list of phone numbers allegedly linked to a kidnapping and murder case from January 2024.
Inspector Dauda Adamu, leading the investigation under the Force Intelligence Department (FID), claimed that one of the numbers tied to Miss Titilayo’s National Identification Number (NIN) had been involved in the alleged crime.
However, Airtel records confirmed that the SIM in question was purchased by Miss Titilayo on 15th April 2025, months after the alleged offence.
Despite this clear evidence, she was threatened with immediate transfer to Abuja and detained overnight in Akure.
During her detention, Miss Titilayo was subjected to a medical test at the Police Clinic in Akure without her consent—a procedure described by her legal counsel as both unnecessary and traumatic.
She was later granted bail but was instructed to report to Abuja, prolonging her ordeal
After a formal petition was submitted to the Inspector-General of Police challenging the conduct of the officers involved, Miss Titilayo travelled to Abuja to retrieve her belongings.
Upon arrival, she faced further delays, uncooperative staff, and repeated rescheduling at FID. She was asked to return on multiple occasions and spent hours waiting, even while being accompanied by a lawyer.
The breakthrough came on the afternoon of 24th November 2025, when human rights activist and publisher Mr. Omoyele Sowore arrived at FID Abuja.
His presence reportedly prompted the immediate release of Miss Titilayo’s phones and other personal items, ending days of bureaucratic obstruction.
Following this intervention, Miss Titilayo was finally discharged.
In a statement, her counsel, Tope Temokun, expressed deep gratitude to Mr. Sowore for his decisive intervention.
“We sincerely appreciate your solidarity, courage, and unwavering commitment to defending ordinary citizens against abuse of power,” Temokun said.
While Miss Titilayo has regained her freedom, her legal team has indicated that the pursuit of full remedial justice continues, signaling that the case is far from closed.
