09/07/2025
⚖️ Victim:
Ogbonna Igbojionu from Abia State, imprisoned at 22 in 1999 for unknowingly buying a stolen generator from Segun Ajibade.
He later sold the generator, not knowing it was stolen.
Two weeks later, Segun came back with police and accused him of theft.
Both were arrested, but:
Ogbonna was allegedly beaten, forced to sign a statement he couldn’t read, then remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prison.
He was sentenced to death in 2003 after a flawed trial.
Segun Ajibade was pardoned in 2016 by Ogun State’s governor.
⏳ 26 Years on Death Row:
Ogbonna spent 26 years behind bars, alongside others like Kolawole Oladeji (a technician who had only repaired the generator).
They tried to appeal but were misled into withdrawing it with false promises of a pardon that never came.
🎥 Viral Justice (2025):
In 2025, a TikToker, Olumide Ogunsanwo (Sea King), shared Ogbonna’s story online.
It went viral, sparking public outrage.
Simon Oshi from Enugu saw it, visited Kirikiri with lawyers, and confirmed Ogbonna’s Abia roots.
He reached out to Governor Alex Otti of Abia State, who immediately took action.
🕊️ Release & Reunion:
Ogbonna, Kolawole, and another inmate were freed on July 6, 2025 after Gov. Otti intervened.
The emotional reunion with Ogbonna’s mother at Abia’s Government House went viral — a mixture of grief and joy.
Both men were promised rehabilitation and reintegration support.
💔 The Injustice:
The actual culprit, Segun Ajibade, walked free after a 2016 pardon.
Innocent men rotted in prison while he faded from public view — a damning indictment of Nigeria’s legal system.
⚠️ Lessons:
The case reveals the dangers of forced confessions, corrupt pardons, and the absence of legal safeguards for the poor.
Social media and citizen activism can spark real-life justice.
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