WACOL Demands Justice for Female Police Officer Denied Salary for 28 Years Despite Heroic Act

The Women’s Aid Collective (WACOL) has raised concerns over the alleged institutional cruelty faced by a female police officer, Grace Ohiaeri, who has reportedly been denied her salaries for 28 years despite performing a heroic act while serving in the Nigeria Police Force.

Speaking at a press conference in Enugu on Friday to mark the 2026 International Women’s Day, the director of WACOL, Prof. Joy Ngozi Ezeilo, described Ohiaeri’s situation as a national embarrassment. The event was themed “Rights. Justice. Action. For all Women and Girls.”

According to Prof. Ezeilo, a former United Nations Special Rapporteur, the officer’s troubles began shortly after she disarmed a notorious criminal linked to a senior police officer in 1998. Rather than being commended for her bravery, Ohiaeri’s salary was abruptly halted without any disciplinary justification, even though she remained technically in service.

“In 1998, Officer Grace Ohiaeri performed a heroic act. Her reward was not a commendation, but malice and institutional cruelty. Now, elderly and frail, the Police Force is evicting her from her official quarters because of proposed ‘renovations,’ leaving a national hero with absolutely nowhere to go,” Ezeilo stated.

The rights activist further alleged that a ₦20 million donation made by billionaire philanthropist Chief Arthur Eze to support the officer was diverted by her superiors.

“When a Good Samaritan, Chief Arthur Eze, donated ₦20,000,000 for her relief, those funds allegedly vanished into the pockets of her superiors,” she added.

WACOL has officially petitioned the Inspector General of Police, Olatunji Disu, and the Enugu State Commissioner of Police, CP Bitrus Giwa, demanding the immediate payment of 28 years of salary arrears and a posthumous-style promotion to facilitate an honorable retirement for the officer.

During the same event, WACOL launched the ‘Give to Gain’ fundraising campaign aimed at providing sanctuary for another vulnerable woman, Miss Faith Odoh, and her four children. According to the group, Odoh’s 12-year-old daughter was allegedly violated by five different men, with the final suspect being a local pastor and Neighborhood Watch chairman who had offered the family free shelter.

“The suspect is currently awaiting trial, but the family is now being evicted. These traumatized children are out of school and in desperate need of a safe sanctuary,” Ezeilo noted.

The fundraising campaign seeks to secure permanent accommodation for both Officer Ohiaeri and the Odoh family, while also establishing sustainable livelihood support for the latter.

Prof. Ezeilo called on the Federal Government and corporate organizations to move beyond International Women’s Day rhetoric and take decisive action to protect vulnerable women and girls across the country.

“We cannot, and will not, let a lifetime of service end on the streets,” she concluded.