By Andrew Haruna
Tears. Pain. Uncertainty. This is the daily reality of Mrs. Usman Austin Okai, a young mother thrown into despair just three weeks after childbirth, as her husband, a prominent Kogi State PDP chieftain, languishes in detention beyond the court-ordered period.
Mr. Austin Okai, a former House of Representatives candidate, was arrested by security agents on allegations of cyberstalking and criminal defamation against Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo. On February 21, 2025, a Lokoja Magistrate Court ruled that Mr. Okai be remanded for two weeks, but that period has long expired, yet he remains behind bars without a fresh trial.
Now, a new wave of deception and cruelty has emerged—an orchestrated online campaign falsely claiming that Okai has been released. His wife, still nursing their newborn, has come out to debunk the rumors, describing them as a deliberate ploy to keep her husband locked away indefinitely while diverting public attention from the gross injustice being meted out to him.
With her voice shaking from suppressed sobs, she spoke to The Bureau Newspaper, saying:
“My husband was taken away just three weeks after I put to bed. It hasn’t been easy for me, for our child, for our family. Now, they are spreading lies that he has been released. If that were true, wouldn’t he be here with me, holding his child?”
Her plea is heartbreaking. A wife left alone. A newborn growing up without the warmth of his father. A family crushed under the weight of political oppression.
She further called on well-meaning Nigerians, human rights organizations, and the international community to speak up against what she described as a blatant abuse of power by the Kogi State government.
“How long will they keep him there? If they have a case against him, why are they afraid to take him back to court? This is nothing but intimidation and suppression. I am begging Nigerians to raise their voices. No one deserves to be treated this way!”
As the world watches, the question remains: Will justice be served, or will tyranny win once again in Kogi State?
