Metro

Parents Narrative Pathetic Story Of How Their Teenage Son Was Sentenced To Death For Allegedly Stealing Fowl

Published

6 months ago

December 18, 2024

Editor

The parents of Segun Olowookere, a young man reportedly arrested at the age of 17 in 2010 for allegedly stealing a fowl and eggs in Osun State, recently shared their journey and continued hope for justice after a decade of legal battles.

In an interview on the Talk To B show, hosted by actress Abiola Adebayo and aired on Tuesday, Olowookere Olarenwaju and his wife, Folashade, described a chain of events that led to the conviction of Segun, their only child, and subsequent years of hardship.

Mr Olowookere explained that their struggles began in 2008 when a cleric from Kwara State warned the family that their son would face great challenges in the future.

“The cleric said there is a generational curse on the child in the future, and it will be a tough one, but he said if God spares his life, that is the only battle he will fight in life. So we kept praying,” Segun’s father said.

Recalling how Segun was arrested two years later, the father said, “I was at my shop, where I rent out and sell video CDs when the police came around 11 am that day. They fired shots in the air, and we all ran away.”

He explained that the police successfully apprehended one boy and took him into their vehicle.

The boy reportedly came back to inform him that he had seen some of Segun’s schoolmates in the van, who told the police that he was not Segun, which made the police let him go.

The father added that the boy revealed to him that these schoolmates were being accused of stealing a chicken and eggs.

Olowookere explained how he urged his son to run away because he didn’t want him to be entangled in any police case.

He said, “I told my son about the incident, and he said they can’t be looking for him. My son doesn’t eat chicken because I also have a poultry.

“He said he can’t run away because he doesn’t even eat chicken. We begged him, but he insisted he won’t run because he’s innocent.

“The policemen returned around 9 pm that same day, and someone came to tell him (Segun) about it and urged him to run away. He didn’t run until the police took him away. I later realised the owner of the chicken was a member of my extended family.”

After being taken to the police station, Olowookere said the Divisional Police Officer demanded N30,000 to release Segun.

“I got to the station, and the DPO told me to bring N30,000 if I didn’t want my child to go to jail. The arrested children were about seven when we got to the station, so I wondered why they demanded N30,000 from only my son, but the DPO insisted.”

Olowookere explained that despite bringing N20,000, the DPO reportedly insisted on the full amount, refusing to show mercy.

“I begged him to collect the money, but he insisted on N30,000, so I should go and look for the complete money. He said he had no child and had no reason to be merciful,” he said.

Olowookere then sought help from politicians, but the situation grew more dire.

“I decided to involve politicians,” he said. “I went to meet one of the brothers of the then governor, Oyinlola. The brother sent someone to the DPO to release the boy, but the DPO said I went to report him to someone, and it wouldn’t stop him from collecting the money. He said I’ll be surprised that my son will go to jail.

“Within five minutes, he brought out my son and the rest. He also brought out the cutlasses they found in the house of their parents because they searched our houses. One of the boys, father was a hunter; they also brought his gun. The DPO laid the weapons in front of the boys and took their pictures with the weapons.”

“He told me to say goodbye to my son,” Olowookere recalled, struggling to hold back tears. “Then I burst into tears. He told me not to come close and that he doesn’t accept apologies. That was how they took the children away.

“They took them to Osogbo; on getting there, we had to get the service of a lawyer; they took the rest of them to welfare, but only my son was taken to Ilesa.”

Olowookere explained that although Segun was born in 1993 and 17 years old at the time of the incident, the DPO argued that since he had completed secondary school, he should not be considered a minor.

He claimed that the officer increased Segun’s age, claiming he was an undergraduate, despite the fact that Segun was just 15 days away from starting university when the problem began.

He added that about six months later, the other children involved were released, leaving only Segun in custody.

In an attempt to resolve the situation, he said he went to see his relative who owned the chicken and eggs and offered to compensate him for the chicken and eggs that were allegedly stolen.

However, the relative insisted that Segun was not involved in the theft and told him to leave.

“I went to meet our family elders, and they called him, but he still insisted my son was not among the thieves,” Segun’s father said.

He said the family endured years of court appearances, and one day, the judge mentioned that if the complainant did not show up in court the following month, the case would be dismissed.

This prompted Segun’s father to approach his relative, the complainant, along with another family elder, to encourage him to forgive Segun, especially since he was the only one left in the case.

They reportedly begged him to state that he was no longer interested in pursuing the case; however, the relative reacted angrily, accusing him of trying to lecture him.

He added that the relative later came to testify in court, claiming that Segun was the leader of the thieves, leading to his death sentence.

Olowookere recalled, “On the said day at court, I saw my brother and the policeman who made the arrest. The policeman was the first to speak, and he said Segun Olowookere is not among the thieves. We were all excited that my son would be free that day.

“When it was my brother’s turn to speak, he said my son is the leader of the thieves.

“Eventually, the judge sentenced my son to death. That was how I left the court in tears.

“People asked if he was a murderer; if not, why sentenced to death? We didn’t see anyone with an injury, not even a gunshot or sign of physical assault. People were surprised.”

Tearfully recounting the day of the sentencing, Oloowokere added, “I cried, and my son said, ‘My daddy, don’t cry.”

“He said if he’s truly innocent, he won’t be killed, but he will only be killed if he’s not innocent. He said I should be at peace that he won’t be killed. I couldn’t tell his mum when I got home. From the High Court, where the judgement was made, he was taken to Abeokuta.

“The judge also said that the governor of the state has the right to pardon my son after ten years if he chooses to do so. We’ve been praying about it since then.”

Speaking during the interview, Segun’s mother, Folashade, stated that in the years that followed, Segun was transferred to different prisons, including the Kiri Kiri Prison in Lagos State, where he managed to further his education despite the harsh conditions.

She said, “When he got to Kiri Kiri at first, he was selling food so he could have money to sponsor his education because he had a good result. So, he was trying to gather money to prepare for the school.

“I asked if it was possible there; he said yes. So, he calls us when he needs anything for the food he was selling and his education. I’ve visited the place, and I saw that there’s a school there.

“He even called us for his graduation, but he knew we didn’t have money, so we couldn’t attend his graduation. My younger siblings in Lagos attended on our behalf. He studied a medical course in prison.”

She also spoke of the emotional toll, saying, “We have been to every possible person for help, but each time it seemed like hope faded. My son’s situation has made me hypertensive.

“Since the beginning of this issue, I have never had a joyful festival season. I have no money, no business; the money is usually spent on this. I don’t want to die this way; have mercy and help me.

“People keep asking us what can be done, but we don’t know. We are even tired at this point, but if God has a purpose for his life that didn’t kill him till now, he will bring him out.”

Segun’s father also clarified that there were two out of the seven who were sentenced, but the other boy had some mental issues.

“I even thought his parents would have gone to pick him up because they asked them to come pick him up when the mental issue started,” he said.

The PUNCH reports that in response to the widespread outcry over the issue, Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State has directed the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice to launch a full investigation into the case, with the aim of granting Segun clemency.

Metro

Outrage As Port Harcourt Realtor Strips Female Birthday Celebrants Naked At Nightclub

Published

23 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Two young women have narrated what could be summed up as a life-scarring ordeal after allegedly being assaulted by a popular Port Harcourt-based realtor, Maduba Okechi Christian, and his security details at a nightclub in the Rivers State capital.

It was learnt that what was meant to be a night of carefree fun turned into a horror scene when they were allegedly beaten to a pulp, stripped naked, and one was left bleeding profusely from the head after the said Maduba reportedly smashed a bottle on her head.

The incident, which occurred in the early hours of Thursday at Blacbox nightclub, has generated outrage on social media after the ladies shared videos narrating their ordeal.

‘He assaulted us for refusing love advances’

They accused Maduba, the Chief Executive Officer of Ceemore Group of Companies, a real estate firm, and a Mobile Police officer attached to him, of assaulting them after one of them allegedly declined the realtor’s advances.

The ladies lamented that the attack left them with broken heads, broken teeth, and other bodily injuries.

According to The PUNCH, one of the ladies, Thonia Okoye, had made reservations at the club after paying the sum of N200,000 to celebrate her birthday with friends.

It was further gathered that the incident was reported at the Olu Obasanjo Divisional Police Station in Port Harcourt.

Narrating her ordeal in a video posted on TikTok, Okoye said the suspect had approached them at their reserved table and asked if he could join them, but they refused.

She added that Maduba flared up when he noticed one of the ladies making a video while dancing and ordered her to stop.

Dragged. stripped naked

Okoye accused Maduba of dragging her down the stairs, where she was stripped naked and beaten to a stupor.

“All of a sudden, this certain man called Ceemore Maduba came to sit at our reserved seat, and my friend was making a video. He hit my friend’s phone, saying she was not meant to make a video, and he started threatening us.

“This man and his friends started breaking bottles. They injured my friend; they broke her head, and she was bleeding profusely.

“They broke the teeth of my other friend. They pushed me downstairs, stripped me naked, and beat me mercilessly as if I had stolen something, all because this man came with a Mopol and bodyguards. This is not the first time he would be doing this. We’ve had a lot of people come out to speak against him, that this is the same thing he has done to them at that same Blacbox,” Okoye said.

He smashed a bottle on my head’

Also narrating her ordeal in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, Juliet Obasi said she had travelled from Owerri, Imo State, to Port Harcourt to celebrate with her friend alongside five other ladies.

She alleged that the realtor smashed a bottle on her head during the altercation and even attempted to stab her.

According to her, she was left bleeding profusely and had to be rushed to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment.

Club management’s failure to act

She further accused the nightclub’s management and security personnel of complacency, claiming that they stood by and failed to intervene as the attack unfolded.

Obasi said the altercation escalated after the man accused one of her friends of recording him, which she denied, insisting she was only making a selfie video. Despite their complaints to the club’s management and security, nothing was done.

“I kept asking the waitress to call the manager to intervene because this was a reserved table, but shockingly, the waitress was more interested in greeting him respectfully. That was when I realised he must be an important person at the club.

“He took a bottle from our table and smashed it on my head. I didn’t even know I was bleeding until people started shouting, ‘You’re bleeding!’ I had to touch my head to confirm. The worst part is that the club’s security and management did nothing,” she alleged.

Another lost tooth

According to Obasi, as she was being rushed out, the man also attacked another girl in their group, breaking her tooth, while the celebrant was physically assaulted, stripped, and beaten by the man and his friends.

“The only mistake we made was going to that club. The only reason we reserved a table was because we knew how the club usually is. If we hadn’t reserved a table, they would have tagged us as prostitutes.

“We paid for our drinks and stayed in our space. This man saw that there were no guys with us, and that’s why he did what he did. Now they are saying he is a big man and nothing will happen to him.

“I’m traumatised. Going out as a lady in this country feels like a crime. I have lost money, jewellery, and even my friend’s clothes were torn. I didn’t know something like this could happen to me,” she said, adding that they would demand CCTV footage from the club as part of efforts to seek justice.

Outrage

Meanwhile, Nigerians on social media have expressed outrage over the incident, calling for the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.

A Facebook user, Dede Oputamuno Gilbert, said, “This is really sad, and I expect the management of Blackbox to do something about this and take it up. Lessons have to be learnt. Not every girl you see in the club is an OS (a term used for prostitutes). Some young girls have so much money they have made from their legitimate businesses, and they also ball in the club. It is not only insulting but demeaning to see every lady as a dependant, and this should change.”

Another user, Gift Douglas, said, “The CEO of Ceemore should be brought to book immediately. He is bragging that they can’t do him anything. What a world. He thinks every girl is a prostitute like him.”

“Sisters, don’t take this matter for granted. Justice must prevail. Don’t be afraid; report to the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command. I believe he will not take this matter for granted,” Oluchi Pamela said.

Vida Ogbonna said, “This is so uncalled for. Wickedness of the highest order! So, young girls cannot have fun with their own money without harassment from the opposite sex? The man should pay for damages and should face the law.”

Rivers police spokesperson silent

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, SP Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to phone calls and messages as of the time of filing this report.

But in a post on X, the police command disclosed that both the club manager and the suspect had been invited for questioning.

“Regarding the lady that was assaulted in the club, the DPO (Divisional Police Officer) within that jurisdiction has expedited action by inviting the hotel manager and the alleged suspect to his office for immediate investigation. I would also like to use this medium to invite the victims involved,” the post read.

Reacting in a video posted on TikTok, the owner of the club, Greatcool Ejekwu, popularly known as “Datfairboy,” condemned the incident, describing it as unfortunate and unacceptable.

“The incident at Blackbox is a very sad and pathetic one. No human being has the right to inflict physical injury on anybody, especially when nobody posed any threat. I have already filed a petition with the security agencies to report the incident,” he said.

Meanwhile, efforts to reach the owner of the club were unsuccessful, as calls made to the number displayed on the Instagram account were not answered.

Also, attempts to get the reaction of the accused realtor were unsuccessful, as messages sent to his verified Facebook account were not replied to as of the time of filing this report. Attempts to reach him through other known contacts also proved abortive.
(PUNCH)

Metro

Gombe Perm Sec, Four Others Die From Electrocution

Published

24 hours ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

An electrical surge in the Tudun-Wadan Pantami area of Gombe Metropolis claimed the lives of five people and left 13 others injured in the early hours of Saturday, according to the Gombe State Police Command.

According to The PUNCH, the State’s Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Regional Coordination, Abdullahi Kulani, was among those five reportedly affected by the electrocution.

The incident, which authorities said was caused by a high-voltage surge from a nearby transformer, occurred just after dawn, catching residents unawares, according to The PUNCH.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said officers from the Low-cost Divisional Police Headquarters swiftly responded to the distress call.

Abdullahi said, “Our officers moved quickly to secure the scene and evacuate the victims to hospitals for urgent medical care. Unfortunately, five individuals lost their lives, and thirteen others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”

According to police, the deceased have been deposited in three different morgues; three bodies at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, one at the State Specialist Hospital, one at Bolari Filin Kwallo Mortuary.

The injured victims are currently receiving treatment at several health facilities across the state.

Abdullahi noted that the Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Yahaya, described the incident as “deeply saddening” and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

“We express our heartfelt sympathy to those who have lost loved ones and wish the injured a swift and full recovery,” he said.

He assured the public of a thorough investigation into the cause of the power surge. “We are determined to uncover the circumstances that led to this unfortunate event and ensure accountability where necessary,” he said.

Residents of Tudun-Wadan Pantami are still reeling from the shock. One eyewitness, who asked not to be named, described the moment of the incident as “terrifying,” noting that several victims were electrocuted in their homes.

“I’ve never seen anything like it. People were shouting and running; some were already unconscious by the time help arrived,” the resident said.

Metro

Many Feared Dead In Fresh Benue Attack

Published

1 day ago

June 14, 2025

Editor

Unspecified number of people have been reportedly killed by gunmen suspected to be armed herders at Yelewata in Guma Local Government Area of Benue State.

The community is a border town between Nasarawa and Benue States with less than 40 minutes drive to Makurdi, capital city of Benue State.

Police in Benue State which could not give exact casualty figure said that several people including the attackers lost their lives.

The incident, according to a resident from the area who did not want to be mentioned, said that the attackers suspected to be armed herders invaded the community around 10pm on Friday and operated till early hours of Saturday.

“The attackers stormed the town and unleashed terror on innocent residents, killing over 100 people and setting several families ablaze.

“The attack lasted until just before 1:00 a.m, nearly two hours of horror,” the local said in an emotion laden voice.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson for Benue State Command, DSP, Udeme Edet, confirmed the attack and added that some individuals and the attackers lost their lives when security men were reinforced to the community.

She said, “According to our information it happened in the early hours of today ( Saturday ) when suspected Bandits invaded Yelwata town.

“The police and tactical teams posted to the town and reinforcement responded swiftly to the attack and engaged the attackers in a fierce exchange and unfortunately some of the attackers were killed in the process.

“But it’s with great sadness that we report that some individuals lost their lives and others sustained injuries.”
The PPRO said that police has not relented and assured that they would continue in pursuit of the attackers and keep Benue people safe.

“Since the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyode visited the state following escalation of suspected armed herders attacks on the people of the state, killings are yet to abate.

“Barely two days ago, Thursday, suspected armed herders invaded Mtswenem and Akondotyough Bawa communities in Makurdi LG and killed no fewer than 25 people.”
(PUNCH)