After spending 26 years in prison, an indigene of Abia state, Mr. Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, and two others from other states have regained their freedom after being sentenced to death.
This followed the intervention of the Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, OFR.
Presenting the released persons to Governor Otti, on Saturday 6th June, Hon. Simon Oshi from Enugu State, who contacted the Governor for his intervention, said that he got the information about the case through a social media influencer, Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known as “Sea King”.
”Now, when the popular social media influencer brought it up on social media, I took it upon myself and said, let me actually go and verify if what they are saying is true.
”So, I went with a team of lawyers and also our popular influencer here too, to visit the two young men in Kiirikiri prison. On getting there, I started interacting with them.
”And I asked him, Where are you from? He said he’s from Abia State. I told him, I know your Governor, he’s a very good man and an amazing leader. I will pass this message across to him and get back to you.
”They were sentenced to death in 2003 over a case of a stolen generator that he bought. So, I told His Excellency. Immediately, the next day, he sent the Attorney General of Abia State to Kirikiri to go and verify if all I told him was actually true.
”The Attorney General went there, got back to him, and he said, No, this can’t be. It can’t happen to a son of the soil in Abia State when he is the Governor. So, His Excellency, being a good leader and an amazing father to us all, hurriedly wrote a letter to the Governor of the State where they were held.
”From there, he kept on pushing and after spending 26 years in prison, His Excellency brought them back and now they have seen freedom., Hon. Oshi narrated.
Hon. Oshi described Governor Alex Otti as a good and passionate leader and gave an assurance that Abia citizens would reciprocate his gesture by voting him for a second term in office.
Receiving the three released inmates, including Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, and Olawale Adediji, Governor Alex Otti commended Hon. Simon Oshi for his doggedness and consistency and encouraged him not to relent in his efforts.
He also expressed appreciation to the social media influencer for a job well done.
”A typical Nigerian would say it doesn’t concern me but because you’re a very good person, you took it upon yourself. If you didn’t bring it to my attention, I wouldn’t have known.
”So, by the time we enquired, the twist was that they were in Lagos but it was an Ogun State matter. I want to use this opportunity to also thank my brother, Governor, colleague, and friend, Dapo Abiodun, for also following through and being consistent.
”When I brought it to his attention and wrote the letter, he acknowledged it and said he was going to work on it. Just last week, I was away when he called me outside the country and said they have now been released.
”For us, justice is everything. You can have all the money in the world but if you don’t contribute to building a fair and just society, your money is useless.
”We’ll all come and go. People leave so much behind. Once you close your eyes and you don’t open them, that’s it. That’s the end. Whatever you would have accumulated and acquired would become useless,” the Governor stated.
Governor Otti directed the Commissioner for Local Government and his Power and Public Utilities counterpart, who were present at the event, to work with the relevant Departments of government to ensure they were reintegrated back into the society.
”It may not be their direct role, but I’m giving them the assignment to work with the relevant parts of government to ensure that they are reintegrated back into the society.
”We will support you and get you back into the society. Having said that, I want to welcome you back to this part of the world. Thank God for preserving you up to this time, ” Gov. Otti added.
Responding on behalf of other released inmates, Mr. Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, an indigene of Ikwuano LGA, narrated his ordeal, saying that as a dealer in generating sets, he had bought a generator from one Segun Ajibade in 1999, and resold it, but was surprised to see the person that sold the generator to him, return to his shop after two weeks, with the police.
He said they had beaten him up and forced him to sign a statement they wrote themselves, while refusing to let him read through the statement.
Mr Igbojionu said he was taken to court and sentenced to death, where he stayed from 1999 when he was remanded in prison till 2003 when he was actually sentenced to death until 2025, making it 26 years of incarceration.
He thanked God for using Governor Otti to spare their lives.
The Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu and his Power and Public Utilities counterpart, Engr. Ikechukwu Monday, were present at the meeting.
