A Taste for Trouble - Negative Review Could Cost Nigerian Woman Seven Years in Prison

The Nigerian woman faces a prison sentence for criticizing tomato sauce. Facebook/Getty Images

A heated case currently holds Nigeria in suspense. As reported by the ” Daily Mail ,” a 39-year-old businesswoman, Chioma Okoli, from Lagos, is about to stand trial. The reason for the trial seems absurd because it revolves around a negative online review she had written about a product of the Nigerian food manufacturer Erisco Foods.

Nigerian woman arrested over poor product review

Okoli posted her opinion about the company’s “Nagiko Tomato Mix” on Facebook and encouraged her 18,000 followers to express their thoughts about it. She complained that the product was too sweet. The post received thousands of comments and sparked a heated discussion. One user commented: “Stop slandering the product. If you don’t like it, use another one instead of posting such things on social media. Or call customer service.” Okoli replied: “Help me advise the company to stop killing people with the product. (…) It is pure sugar.”

A week later, she was arrested. According to CNN, the Nigerian police accused her of posting her Facebook comment “with the intention of inciting the people against Erisco Foods.” She had deliberately spread false statements. If she is found guilty, she faces three years in prison, a fine of roughly 5,000 dollars, or both. But there are two more lawsuits against her.

Three lawsuits by the food company against Chioma Okoli

One, because she allegedly conspired with two other people against the company. Here, she faces seven years in prison. The other is a civil lawsuit in which the company wants to defend itself against alleged image damage because the post on Facebook “has made many suppliers decide to distance themselves from us.” Therefore, Erisco Foods demands approximately 3.2 million dollars in compensation.

According to CNN and Chioma Okoli’s lawyer, the trial will take place on May 20. In the meantime, the woman, who is pregnant with her fourth child, was arrested by plainclothes police officers of the Nigerian national police. In an interview with CNN, she described her detention conditions: “There were no seats, so I stood all night until the next day. My legs were in water that was leaking through the roof.”

“David vs Goliath”: Amnesty International calls for an end to intimidation

Even though she has since been released from custody, she has filed two counter-lawsuits against the police and Erisco. A fight her legal team describes as “David against Goliath.” The actions of the police and Erisco against Okoli have been internationally criticized.

Amnesty International stated: “The harassment and intimidation of Chioma Okoli must end now.” However, the CEO of the company, Eric Umeofia, is grimly determined to hold his ground against his critic. According to the “Business Post Nigeria,” he stated: “I would rather die or close down the business than drop the lawsuit against Chioma Okoli!”