Osogbo, Osun state – A 31-year-old man, Segun Olowookere, who was recently released from Kirikiri prison after 10 years of being on death row for armed robbery, has refuted allegations that he has been returned to custody for committing another crime.
In a video seen by Legit.ng on Thursday, January 23, Olowookere clarified that the actual suspect who was sent back to prison for allegedly burgling a house and stealing was Sunday Omisakin. Omisakin is one of the 53 inmates recently granted pardon by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state.
Asking Nigerians to disregard any false information, Olowooker said he is doing well and “working towards rebuilding” his life.
He said:
“Please, disregard the false news and help me spread the correct information. I am using the opportunity to beg Nigerian journalists and lawyers to come to my aid, to come to my rescue. Because initially, the case that I was sentenced to death by hanging for, I never committed it.
“I wonder why this is coming from different kinds of bloggers, saying that I have been arrested, I have been taken back to prison custody, using this to gain followers. Please, if they have been paid, they should stop. Stop spoiling my name, my career, the name of the governor that helped me, and stop spreading my pictures up and down.”
Watch the full video here.
How Segun Olowookere ended up in jail
Legit.ng recalls that Olowookere and his co-suspect, Sunday Morakinyo, were arrested in Oyan, Odo-Otin local government area (LGA) of Osun state in November 2010. They were arrested for armed robbery, during which they allegedly stole hens and eggs. They were sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court, Ikirun Division, on December 17 2014.
Their ordeal went viral recently, during which some commentators questioned how they could have been sentenced to death for stealing hens and eggs.
In December 2024, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun state granted the prerogative of mercy to Olowookere.
Adeleke had directed Oluwole Jimi-Bada, the state attorney general and commissioner for justice, to review the circumstances surrounding Olowookere’s conviction with a view to pardoning him. This followed the appearance of the convict’s parents on a podcast narrating that their son was sentenced to death for stealing fowls.
Olowookere was pardoned alongside Morakinyo and 51 others convicted of simple and capital offences, according to a statement signed by Olawale Rasheed, the governor’s spokesperson.
Actress Biola Adebayo meets Segun Olowookere
The movie star said she and Segun were just coming out from Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos.
According to Adebayo, Segun is a very good guy and she got testimonies of his good behaviour at the correctional centre.
