After spending 26 years behind bars, Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, a generator dealer from Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State, has finally regained his freedom along with two other Nigerians who had also been on death row. Their release came following the intervention of Abia State Governor, Dr Alex Otti.
Igbojionu’s ordeal began in 1999 when he was arrested over accusations that he unknowingly purchased a stolen power generator. By 2003, he had been convicted and sentenced to death, leaving him confined in Kirikiri Correctional Facility for over two decades.
Their release was facilitated by Simon Oshi, an Enugu State indigene, who presented the freed men to Governor Otti on Saturday. Oshi revealed that he first became aware of Igbojionu’s plight through a social media post by popular influencer Olumide Ogunsanwo, also known as “Sea King”.
Motivated to act, Oshi visited Kirikiri Prison with Ogunsanwo and a team of lawyers. There, they discovered that Igbojionu was originally from Abia State. Upon learning of his case, Oshi reached out to Governor Otti, who immediately consulted the state’s Attorney General to verify the situation before ordering swift action to secure their release.
Receiving the freed individuals—Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, Olawale Adediji, and another inmate who could not join them on the journey to Abia—Governor Otti thanked Oshi and Ogunsanwo for their vigilance and persistence in the matter.
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Governor Alex Otti also extended his appreciation to Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State for playing a supportive role in securing the freedom of the inmates. Reassuring the released men of the government’s commitment to their well-being, Otti directed the Commissioners for Local Government as well as Power and Public Utilities to work closely with relevant agencies to ensure they receive comprehensive assistance for their reintegration into society.
Recounting his harrowing experience, Igbojionu explained that his troubles began in 1999 when he purchased a generator from a man identified as Segun Ajibade and subsequently sold it to another buyer. Two weeks after the sale, Ajibade returned accompanied by police officers who arrested him. According to Igbojionu, he was brutally beaten during interrogation and forced to sign a statement he was not allowed to read.
That single transaction changed the course of his life. In 2003, he was convicted and sentenced to death, leading to 26 years behind bars until his release in 2025. Holding back tears of relief, he expressed profound gratitude to God for preserving his life through the ordeal and thanked Governor Otti for the intervention that brought him freedom at last.