- After breathing in the long-awaited taste of freedom, Segun Olowookere, a man who was once shackled by the chains of a prison sentence for a minor crime—fowl theft—has stepped forward to unveil the unspeakable horrors that lurked behind the cold iron bars of his 14-year incarceration.
- His words, raw and laden with the weight of memories that haunt him, is a chilling narrative of a world few truly understand—a world he claims where death, violence, rape and unimaginable suffering became his constant companions.
Segun Olowookere, the infamous convict known for his death-for-fowl sentence, recently granted a pardon by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, has finally opened up about the haunting and harrowing experiences he endured during his time in prison.
In a tell-all interview with The PUNCH, Olowookere recounted the chilling scenes he witnessed within the prison walls—where death was a frequent tragedy and young inmates were subjected to unimaginable cruelty.
Olowookere revealed that after his initial confinement at the Ilesa Correctional Centre in Osun State, he was transferred to the notorious Ibara Prison in Abeokuta.
His trial kept him confined to Ilesa, where he spent years surrounded by hardened criminals, some of whom were serving lengthy sentences for the most heinous crimes.
His words;
“We were taken to Ilesa Correctional Centre, Osun State, but we moved to Ibara Prison, Abeokuta, on the second day. I was remanded at Ilesa throughout the trial of the case.”
His account took a darker turn as he shared the heart-wrenching details of witnessing the untimely deaths of 128 fellow prisoners, each life lost to the brutality and dehumanizing conditions of the prison.
Olowookere spoke about the rampant abuse within the prison system, revealing how older, violent convicts preyed on vulnerable young inmates, exploiting their innocence and subjecting them to sexual violence.
Olowookere continued;
“I can recall 126 inmates who have died within 14 years. I know some people who were able-bodied when I got there but have lost one or two parts of their body before I left.
“Some of these hardened criminals and convicts who have spent close to 25 to 30 years in jail would prey on these innocent minors and even sodomise them because they know they do not have anyone to run to.
“These older inmates manipulated younger ones who freshly joined them; they lured the minors with tea, garri and little things to force them to commit sodomy.”
Despite the relentless darkness that seemed to swallow him whole, Olowookere revealed that his time in prison wasn’t entirely devoid of lessons. He spoke about how he began to rebuild himself from the ruins of his shattered existence.
Segun reteirated he acquired new skills—skills that ranged from vocational training to a more profound understanding of his own resilience and the human capacity to survive even the most crushing circumstances.
He added;
“I do not see the period as a waste. I went to school, I worked as a medical ad hoc staff and I was also able to acquire some skills, which if I am able to gather resources, will earn me a solid means of livelihood.
“We have a pure water factory, bakery, carpentry workshop, and other skill acquisition centres within the facility for inmates to undertake skill acquisition”
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