Suspected terrorists have killed the Acting Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) in Katsina State, Alhaji Amadu Surajo.

The terrorists also killed three other people and injured several others.

The incident occurred in the late hours of Saturday night into the wee hours of Sunday morning when the hoodlums attacked Mai Rana village in Kusada Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the terrorists abducted the first and second wives of the acting chairman, along with one of his daughters, who is an undergraduate at one of the public universities in the country.

A source familiar with the incident, however, said Surajo’s first wife was later released by the hoodlums.

Before his death, Surajo was the state Secretary of MACBAN before he was elevated to Acting Chairman.

His current portfolio came about after the National Vice President of MACBAN, who doubled as Chairman of the association in the state, Munnir Lamido, disappeared mysteriously in June last year.

According to reports, Lamido had left his Katsina residence on June 23 and was travelling to Kaduna State.

He was said to have informed family members by phone that he had stopped in Zaria to eat at a restaurant.

But his whereabouts became unknown after family and friends tried to reach him some hours later; his vehicle and two phones were later recovered along Maraban Jos, just before entering Kaduna town.

He was declared missing by security operatives a few days later, and his whereabouts have remained unknown ever since.

Following Saturday night’s incident, sources said security operatives had been deployed to the community to ensure peace and investigate the incident.

The remains of Surajo and the other deceased persons are expected to be buried later on Sunday morning according to Islamic rites, while the injured have been hospitalized and are receiving treatment.

Though several council areas face security challenges in the state, Kusada Council is not among them.

This has led to speculation from some quarters whether the attack was more than just terrorism or a banditry attack.

However, the spokesperson for the police command in the state, ASP Abubakar Aliyu, was yet to respond to inquiries about the incident at the time of the report.

• How Delta, Rivers, A/Ibom, Lagos, Bayelsa raked in N1.8tr

• Allocation grew by 95.49% in two years

The Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) disbursed a total of N5.38 trillion to the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between January and December 2024, according to figures obtained by The Nation.

This amount represents an increase of about N1.46 trillion over the N3.92 trillion received by the states and the FCT in the previous year.

The states received a total of N412.09 billion in January; N406.96 billion in February; N454.70 billion in March and N428.24 billion in April.

A total of N463.04 billion got to them in May; N365.81 billion (lowest allocation for the year) in June before going up to N461.98 billion in July and N473.48 billion in August.

Others were as follows: September: N422.86 billion; October: N453.72 billion; November: N490.70 billion and December: N549.79 billion which was the highest allocation for the year.

These variations in allocation were influenced by overall revenue performance and the criteria used by FAAC to calculate the allocations.

In comparison, 2023 allocations were much lower, peaking at N396.21 billion in January and hitting a low of N259.50 billion in April.

The discrepancies highlight improved revenue generation in 2024, driven by the removal of fuel subsidies, increased oil sales and better earnings from non-oil sectors, including taxes and royalties.

Among the states, Delta received the highest allocation in March 2024 with N62.7 billion, followed by Rivers State with N41.7 billion, and Akwa Ibom State with N41.6 billion. The oil-producing states benefit from the derivation principle, which ensures a part of oil revenue goes directly to Niger Delta states.

The increase in allocations is expected to assist state governments in enhancing infrastructure, education, healthcare and economic development. Stakeholders have urged responsible spending to ensure improvement in citizens’ quality of life.

A breakdown of the state by state allocations shows that Delta, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Lagos and Bayelsa received the highest allocations

Delta got a total of N485bn; Rivers, N384bn; Akwa Ibom, N338bn; Lagos, N321bn and Bayelsa, N293bn.

Other top revenue allotees are: Kano, N166bn; Edo, N124bn; Ondo, N122bn; Anambra, N115bn and Oyo N113bn.

With a total of N5.38 trillion allocated in 2024, experts are optimistic about continued revenue growth into 2025.

Analysts believe that diversifying the economy and improving revenue collection methods could sustain or exceed last year’s accomplishments.

Looking at trends from 2022 to 2024, governmental allocations have significantly increased since June 2023, indicating more effective resource mobilization and equitable distribution of national revenues.

The Federal Government received N3.42 trillion in 2022, N3.96 trillion in 2023 and N4.65 trillion in 2024. Over these two years, it recorded a cumulative increase of 35.84 per cent.

State governments also benefited greatly during this period, receiving N2.75 trillion in 2022, followed by N3.92 trillion in 2023, and N5.38 trillion in 2024, therefore, the state governments received a 95.49 percent cumulative increase of FAAC allocations from 2022 to 2024.

The 774 local governments received N1.995 trillion in 2023 and N2.285 trillion in N3.994 trillion.

The LGAs experienced a 14.51 per cent increase in allocations in 2023 compared to 2022 period, reflecting a steady rise in funds allocated to grassroots governance.

There was a 74.76 per cent increase between 2024 and 2023, which shows a significant boost in revenue directed towards local development efforts.

Interestingly, over the two years (2022 to 2024), LGAs recorded a cumulative increase of 100.26 per cent, doubling their allocation.

Beneficiaries of 13 per cent Derivation Fund were not left out of the surge in FAAC allocations. In 2022, they received N601.049 billion, N454.677 billion in 2023 and N1.135.802 trillion in 2024.

Between 2022 and 2023, a 24.34 percent decrease was observed, reflecting possible fluctuations in oil revenue or derivation parameters. In 2023 and 2024, the allocation surged by 149.84 percent, marking a significant rebound and surpassing the 2022 figure.

From 2022 to 2024, the derivation fund recorded a cumulative growth of 88.93 per cent, emphasising the growing importance of the fund in fostering resource control.

The overall rise in FAAC allocations indicates the Federal Government’s commitment to fair revenue sharing across all levels of government. The increases in funding for states and LGAs reveal efforts to enhance service delivery and local governance.

The surge in these allocations also represents a hopeful trend in Nigeria’s federal revenue generation and distribution. However, it is crucial for state governments to manage these resources effectively and transparently to foster sustained growth and improve the quality of life for all Nigerians.

The secretary of the Eminent Elders Forum, Dr. Akin Fapohunda, has accused some few northern elites of holding Nigeria to ransom for over forty years based on tribalism and selfish interests.

Speaking on Sunday on Arise News while discussing the northern opposition to the tax reform bills proposed by President Bola Tinubu, Fapohunda submitted that the north has taken Nigeria for a ride for too long and it is time to call their bluff.

According to him, the North has forced policies such as federal character and quota system on the southern region while Nigerians from the south have been laid back in making demands.

Fapohuna argued that such policies have favoured the North over the South and only a few elite people in the North are benefitting from the federal policies at the expense of other citizens of the country.

He submitted that it is time for Nigeria to wake up and realize the interests of the South and the North are not in an alliance.

Speaking specifically on the Tax Reform Bills, the Secretary of the Eminent Elders Forum was of the opinion that the proposals can never work because Nigeria is not a unified country and “cannot be unified at all” by a unitary tax system.

He said, “The North, at the flip of a switch, are able to shout Northern interest. Southerners are laid back, hoping that oh, we are civilised, we don’t want to talk about tribalism. Tribalism is at play, we are pretentious about this matter. Look, the North has taken us for a ride for too long, they’ve forced federal character on Nigeria over 40 years. They forced quota system on Nigeria over forty years. Have they benefitted from it? Only the tiny clique in the North is holding the whole country to ransom. It’s enough time for Nigeria to wake up, we are not together, North nor South.

“Now they are talking, the elites, the few elites in the North, as if feeding bottle is about to be removed from their mouth. That’s what they’re doing, they’re shouting, they have formed a league now – League of Northern Democrats. The governor of Bauchi was talking, they won’t be able to pay salaries again, they won’t be able to do that.

“Look, the North has damaged Nigeria fundamentally with this attitude. Who are the Nigerians who are japaing now? They’re Southerners. The South invested in education massively in the 50s and the 60s. The products now have been driven out of Nigeria. Can you find a Fulani man in London or in New York practicing medicine or practicing engineering? It’s the Yorubas, the Igbos, Southerners that are marginalised. It’s time to call the bluff of the North, not because we even support what Tinubu is doing, but we have to converse about Nigeria. Nigeria is not – we are pretentious. Let’s go to the brass tacks. That’s why we are calling for regionalisation, the North is separate from the South, that’s just the truth, unless we are deceiving ourselves.”

“This tax matter will not unite Nigerians. If we concede to the North that they get more VAT, for doing what? They got federal character for forty years, what have they done with it? They got quota for forty years, what have they done with it? They’re just being spoilt, they don’t want to wake up to the reality that they’re not doing well, they’re not performing. And when you compromise, you kill the South. The energy is being sucked out of the South in trying to remedy and carry the North along. We should be tired of carrying them along, in all honesty. Somebody has to call their bluff. There’s no alternative to the South calling the bluff of the North,” he added.

Tinubu Looking In The Wrong Place

Fapohunda urged President Tinubu to focus his energy on other productive issues, arguing that pushing the controversial tax reforms is just a waste of time while other issues remain unattended to.

According to him, tax reform is not the policy that can set Nigeria on the path to greatness.

He said, “The president is not focusing in the right direction. Just one item, one item alone – Inheritance Tax. The North has a different perspective on Sharia. The South-West has different customs. The East has different approach. By trying to do a unitary tax system when we’re all having a different flavour of life, is that not a road to nowhere? On that account alone, I will not really agree on what President Tinubu is trying to do. In all honesty, President Tinubu is focused on this tax matter. That is going to be the mantra of his administration.

“Let’s assume that if the tax bill is passed in the next three, four, five months, what next? Mr President is staking his reputation, his political acumen on the tax bill, but there are many issues he’s supposed to have faced that he’s not talking about. Civil service is blighted. Civil servants are just looking to find a means to survive, they are not operating organically with the government, they are not. Orasanye report, President said he will do it within twelve weeks, he has done nothing about it.”

“In 2023, the president announced a N500 billion agric project, what has happened to it? He didn’t implement it. Now, we have livestock ministry. I know now they are looking for offices in Abuja. When are we going to get the first cow from the livestock ministry? So, overall, the focus on tax bill is totally not what Nigeria should be looking at now. There are more serious fundamental reforms. Tax bill is not the reform that we want. The country has to be reorganised and let all of us live separately, but as good neighbours. We are different, it’s just a fact. We can gloss over it from here to eternity.”

Don’t Be Cocksure

Naija News reports that Fapohunda also advised the President not to be overconfident that if he pushes the tax reform bills through, then every other thing would automatically fall in place.

He advised the President to gauge the feelings of the entire nation and not just stay in Abuja and assume all is going well.

“The President might use all his authority, all the presidential powers to get it through, and then what? What are the two elements in the tax reform? You are considering no tax to the lowest people, 130 million Nigerians who are destitute, then you want to tax the big companies.

“The big companies are folding up, they are leaving Nigeria, they cannot afford diesel to run generators. Even the ones they manufactured, no sales, there’s poor demand. So who will pay the tax? Is it run down companies that will pay the tax? Anybody earning below 70,000, no tax. Okay, so where is the money coming from? And when the money comes, to be spent on what? To be spent on deficit, to be spent on paying back loans that we have taken, that we have exhausted, that we have stolen, is that it?

“What are we going to use the tax for? It’s not tax that we need. Okay, let him get it through, fine, but is that the end of the tunnel? It is not in my opinion. But the president needs to be advised. It’s now almost two years that he’s been in the saddle. It’s time to think. His presidential chat that he had, he was so cock sure of everything, but that’s not the reality at all, he’s not cock sure. This February, it will be two years since he was elected. It is time to just re appraise issues. He’s hanging in the air, we, on the ground, we’re not feeling what he’s trying to do. He might be well meaning, but he’s not in the right direction at all.”

“We cannot be united when we’re not equally yoked. We’re unequally yoked, we cannot be united at all. But let everybody just live according to his own worldview, then the temperature will come down. But trying to stay in Abuja and put a package together for the whole country – from the North West to the South East, from the North East to the South West, it’s not going to work,” Fapohunda said.

BUA Group, an industrial conglomerate, has denied claims that its 200,000 barrels per day refinery in Akwa Ibom is 90 percent completed.

In a statement on Sunday, the management said the construction is progressing steadily.

“Whilst the refinery is not at 90% completion, we are however on track to meet our delivery timelines in collaboration with our partners,” the group said.

“This BUA Refinery & Petrochemicals project represents a major milestone in strengthening Nigeria’s refining capacity and energy security.

“Our other energy projects, including the construction of a mini-LNG plant and several new hybrid power plants across the country to add additional capacity to our over 1,000MW installed captive power generation capacity, are also progressing rapidly.

“The public is advised to verify any news through our official channels and platforms so as not to be misled by mischievous persons.”

BUA Group also said over $3.5 billion worth of mega industrial projects have been completed within the past decade.

“At BUA, we remain committed to transparency and excellence. As we have consistently done with over 12 of our completed mega industrial projects worth over $3.5 billion in the past 10 years, we will continue to keep you updated with verifiable and accurate information only where necessary, and as milestones are achieved,” the company said.

BUA Group appreciated the public’s interest and enthusiasm for the refinery.

Three Nigerian women, who were arrested and prosecuted for drug trafficking in Saudi Arabia have been discharged and acquitted after spending 10 months in detention.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman, Kimiebi Ebienfa, confirmed the development on Sunday, noting the importance of the diplomatic engagements that led to the women’s release.

The women—Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah, and Fatima Kannai Gamboi—were arrested on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdulaziz International Airport, Madinah.

Their detention followed the arrest of two Nigerians who were found in possession of cocaine capsules weighing a total of 1.69 kilograms.

The women were held on suspicion of aiding and abetting the trafficking of narcotics.

The case, which garnered attention in both Nigeria and Saudi Arabia, was resolved following extensive diplomatic and legal efforts.

The women were handed over to the Nigerian Consulate in Jeddah after their acquittal. They were received by Ambassador Muazam Nayaya, the Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah, and are currently undergoing immigration processes for their return to Nigeria to reunite with their families.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs wishes to inform that three Nigerian nationals, Hadiza Abba, Fatima Umate Malah, and Fatima Kannai Gamboi, arrested and prosecuted for drug trafficking on March 5, 2024, at Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Azeez International Airport Madinah, Saudi Arabia, has been released after spending 10 months in detention.

“The Ministry wishes to recall that the trio’s arrest attracted much attention in the Saudi Arabia and Nigeria. Their successful release was achieved after prolonged diplomatic and legal engagements, which culminated in their discharge and acquittal, as well as subsequent handover to the Consulate-General of Nigeria in Jedda.

“The ladies were received by Ambassador Muazam Nayaya, the Honourable Consul-General of Nigeria in Jeddah and currently awaiting relevant immigration processes for their return to Nigeria to reunite with their families,” the statement read.

A loan app, Delinquent Loans, has sparked controversy after sharing photos of 87 debtors online in a bold attempt to recover unpaid loans.

The incident came to light through a series of TikTok videos posted by the app.

Across three separate videos, the platform uploaded pictures of the debtors, each captioned, “Please settle your loans,” as a public reminder to repay their debts.

The videos, which began trending on Saturday, drew widespread attention and mixed reactions from social media users.

A user, King, who identifies as #KingSuleiman27 on X (formerly Twitter), commented, “Has anyone seen the video posted by a loan app featuring pictures of 87 debtors owing them? You better check it out to make sure your picture isn’t among them ooo!”

Prince Olugbade, who tweets as #latmos997, wrote, “As they don post their pictures, make them go collect the money from the general public wey view am, or post am for YouTube use the views settle the debt.”

FaVōuR™, who identifies as fhavourabia, argued, “Actually, if we have a functioning government, these people should be sued for defamation.”

Agbalaka, who identifies as #CroBender, noted, “Taking money from shylocks comes with regrettable consequences.”

Other users highlighted the consequences of defaulting on loans.

Smiles Ebony, who tweets as #smileebony, explained, “There’s something all these people don’t understand. After you default on any loan, you will be reported to the credit bureau, and this will affect anyone.”

Emma, who identifies as #Emmabest, raised concerns, stating, “Most of these persons are not aware of this loan. Suddenly, they receive a call asking them to pay back the money they borrowed.”

The loan app’s public shaming strategy has sparked a debate about privacy, ethics, and the legality of such practices. While some support the need for debt recovery, others criticise the method as an infringement on individual rights.

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has arrested a woman, Khadija Ali, for allegedly abandoning her newborn baby.

Ali was reported to have dumped the baby along a bush path near Crush Rock, behind the uncompleted Red Bricks Market in Mpape, Abuja.

A statement released on Sunday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, revealed that the baby, believed to be just a day old, was discovered at about 10am on January 3, 2025 after police operatives from the Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section responded to a distress call.

Adeh stated that the infant, wrapped in a cloth, was rescued and taken to the Mpape Primary Health Care Centre for medical evaluation.

She added that, following an examination, medical personnel confirmed the child was in stable condition.

The statement partly read, “On 3 January 2025, at about 10:00 a.m., police operatives from Mpape Division’s Juvenile and Women Care Section responded to a distress call and found the baby wrapped in a cloth. The child was promptly rescued and taken to Mpape Primary Health Care Centre, where medical evaluation confirmed the baby is in stable condition.”

Adeh disclosed that acting on a tip-off from concerned residents, police apprehended Khadija Ali, who confessed to abandoning her baby.

“Following a tip-off from the community, the baby’s mother, Khadija Ali, was arrested. During interrogation, she confessed to abandoning the baby, citing her inability to care for the child following her husband’s abandonment,” Adeh said.

Condemning the incident, Adeh described it as a grave violation of the rights of the child.

She added that Ali would be charged to court for allegedly violating Sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act, 2003.

“The FCT Police Command vehemently condemns this act of child abandonment and reassures the public of its commitment to protecting the most vulnerable members of society.

“The rescued baby will be handed over to the Department of Social Welfare for proper care, while the mother will face prosecution according to the provisions of Sections 14 and 16 of the Child Rights Act, 2003, upon the conclusion of investigations,” the statement added.

The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has expressed confidence that Nigeria would soon experience peace after the church’s 100-day fast.

His official Facebook page shared a video of him making the declaration on Sunday midnight.

In the video, he said that the fasting would commence on January 11 and end on April 21, 2025.

It is themed RCCG FAST 2025.

Adeboye spoke during the first Holy Ghost Night of the new year, held in the early hours of Saturday, January 4.

The RCCG General Overseer outlined the church’s focus for the 100-day fast, noting that the first 30 days would be dedicated to praying for Nigeria.

Meanwhile, Adeboye urged individuals over 70 to refrain from participating in the fast, advising those aged 70 to 80 to break their fast by 3pm and those over 80 by noon.

Those above 90 were encouraged to avoid the fast altogether, as, in his words, they were in the “departure lounge of life.”

Adeboye further emphasised the importance of prayer during the fast, warning that without it, fasting would only amount to a “hunger strike.”

PUNCH Online reports that the pastor in the video said, “Now, we are about to fast. We are starting January 11. 100 days, that’s all. If you fast continuously for 14 days, that will count for 28 days. If you fast continuously for 14 days that, will count for 28 days. If you fast continuously for 21 days, that will count for 63 days.

“Each day will be three if you fast 21 days continuously—that’s 63 years. If you fast continuously for 30 days, that will count for 100 days.

“If you are 70 and over, you are released, but if you want to join, by 3pm, you are released instead of 6pm.

“If you are 80, you can break by noon if you insist on joining us. Don’t let anybody deceive you into thinking I said this because I’m already over 80. I will do the single ones, and in the middle, I’ll do enough continuous fasting to cover for the whole 100 days. I’m not leading from behind and by the grace of God, and in the end, we’ll remain healthy and strong.”

He also urged church members to avoid frivolous conversations throughout the fasting period.

He assured the congregation that 2025 would be a pivotal year when the scripture, “The kingdom of God suffers violence, and the violent take it by force,” would come to fruition.

Segun Olowookere, the popular death-for-fowl convict recently pardoned by Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun State, speaks with ISMAEEL UTHMAN about his travail

How old were you when they arrested you and your date of birth?

I was 17 years old. I was born on January 28, 1993.

What were you convicted of aside from stealing of fowl? 

They said stealing, conspiracy and armed robbery.

How did you feel on the day you were sentenced to death?

I was heartbroken; no one will hear his/her death’s day and be happy. However, I had hope that I would not be killed.

What was the reaction of the people in the courtroom?

They felt so bad because of our age and the nature of the crime we were convicted of. They thought the judge should have pardoned us because we were minors. They even wondered why we were sentenced to death because of fowls and eggs. So, many people, including my prosecutor, felt so bad and sympathised with us. The prosecutor, who was from the Ministry of Justice, said she would not be responsible for my death if I was killed.

Which correctional centre were you taken to after the judgment?

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. I was in Ilesa prison from 2010 to 2014 after I was condemned. I taught some primary school pupils at the Princess Hope Foundation School inside the prison.

How did the warders receive you?

The prison authority felt bad when we got to Ilesa after the judgment. The warders said we were small boys and that we should have been taken to a juvenile home. But it was written on our papers that we were 18 years old. So, we could serve the sentence in prison. When I got to Ibara Prison, the warders wondered why we were sentenced to death. They expressed their dismay that the judgment was so harsh. The case caused a lot of stir then. Many people, including other inmates and warders, were coming to see me because they were surprised about our case.

I continued my education in the prison. I joined Yewa College of Education where I studied Business Administration. I spent almost two years at Ibara Prison before I was moved to Kirikiri Maximum Prison in Lagos.

How was life inside the correctional centre?

I ensured that I didn’t lose hope or become depressed. Aside from education, I always played football to make myself happy. When I got to the Ibara prison, a football competition was going on and it was two weeks to the final. I participated and even lifted the trophy for the team I represented.

I was moved to Kirikiri in 2016. I opted for Kirikiri after I learnt that there was the National Open University of Nigeria there. I thought it was an opportunity to enrol at the university to continue my education. But when I got there, I had some little challenges that did not allow me to enrol, but some prison staff members encouraged me, and attached me to the medical facility where all comprehensive health services, including surgical operations, were being done. They asked me to learn under the doctors, pharmacists, and nurses there.

I achieved many things working at the medical facility before Governor Ademola Adeleke pardoned me. I was always on my own, I never fought any inmate. They never locked me up or punished me. I did not commit any infraction. When I woke up, I went to the clinic to attend to patients and do other assignments. I returned to my cell once we closed, read my books and slept.

How many of you were on death row at Kirikiri Maximum Prison?

I don’t know the total number, but I know we were many, more than 400.

How many inmates were in a cell?

It depends on the size of the cell. In my cell, we were four, and all of us were on death row.

What lessons did you learn in your 14 years on death row?

The first lesson is that someone should not join a bad gang or mingle with people who will not better your life. I am the only one who knows how much I learnt. I am now a good person to myself. I will never make a single mistake or do anything that will take me back to the prison. I did not know anything about the case that took me to prison, but God used it to teach me a lot of lessons. I have a lot of experience, even as an inmate executive.

How did you become an executive?

If I have the opportunity to become the president of Nigeria, I will increase the salary and welfare packages of the prison officers/warders, because of the serious and impactful work they do. Those officers are competent enough to transform the lives of hardened criminals.

A prison officer can manage more than 100 inmates without any challenge, due to training, experience, and competence. To make their work easier, the warders usually choose responsible inmates and make them executives. The inmate executives will address issues whenever warders are not available. I believed I was chosen because of my humble character.

What will you miss after leaving the prison?

I will miss most of the people we used to relate to there. Many of them are also innocent like me. One of the innocent souls inside the prison is Seun, a young boy like me from Ekiti. He said he went to join his bricklayer brothers on site after school so they would all return home together on the day he was arrested by the police, who claimed that they were responsible for a robbery case in the area.

He was 15 years old when he was arrested. They kept him in a juvenile home till he clocked 18 before he was tried and sentenced to death by hanging. There is another case of someone who was convicted of receiving a stolen generator; he has been in custody since 1999 till now. Many things are happening inside the prison. I see the place as a school. Everything in the prison – food, water, movement, and all is rationed. That’s how life in the prison is.

How would you describe your 14 years in prison?

I do not consider it a waste because I had the opportunity to learn a lot which I might not have learnt if I was a free person. Somebody who framed me and got me to be on death row could have killed me if I was not in prison custody. 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.

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.

We have primary and secondary schools, colleges of education, and universities. Any inmate who didn’t acquire a skill is the one who wasted his years. I remember the case of one Elijah Ambassador who produced a musical album inside the prison and sold copies outside the facility. Promoters came from Abuja to the prison to launch the album.

How many condemned convicts were executed while you were there?

No condemned inmate was executed. But I know of someone who was on the same compound with us at Kirikiri but was moved to Edo, and three days later, we learnt he was part of the three inmates executed in Edo.

How did you feel when you left the prison?

If I had the opportunity to change my date of birth, I would have gladly changed it to the date I was released from prison. The day that warders did not chastise me, or anyone attempted to shout at me, the day women embraced me for the first time in 14 years. I was extremely happy. The day my family members embraced me, and everyone welcomed me like a king. I had believed I would come out alive from the prison, but I did not know my freedom would be celebrated loudly. It is a day I will never forget. My heart, my family members, and the entire people of Oyan are more than grateful to Governor Adeleke.

When I got to Oyan, the policeman who arrested me in 2010 was telling people that I was not involved in the stealing of fowl and eggs. He told them I never visited his house or poultry to steal from him. The policeman said he was directed to arrest me because the children arrested for stealing mentioned my name. He did testify in court in my favour during the trial. The people were happy because I was freed after years of punishment for an offence I didn’t commit. It is an open secret in the town I know nothing about the case.

What is your focus now that you regained freedom?

I only have God and people around me. I believe God will direct my steps. I will not misuse any opportunity I get from people. With what I have learnt in prison, I should be able to do something tangible if I have the means.

Your co-pardoned convict, Sunday Morakinyo, is with you in Oyan, and he is said to be battling with a mental disorder. How do you feel seeing him in such a condition?

I am not happy; I cried uncontrollably when we visited him three days ago. I cried because he had no mental challenge before he was arrested. The mental issue started when he was tortured at the police station. Blood was coming out of every part of his body. I had to clean the blood coming out of his body for 23 days. We spent 23 days at the police station before being taken to court.

It was when we got to prison that Sunday that he was attended to medically. The medical officers at the prison told us that blood had stained his brain, making him mentally deranged. Throughout the years he was in jail, he was in the cell of inmates who needed medical attention.

Do you want the government to revisit your case?

No. I do not want the government to do anything to those who implicated me. I have accepted my fate. I have learnt that whatever will come to pass will surely come to pass. I cannot blame anyone for my travail. If I have the opportunity to meet the judge who sentenced me to death, I will prostrate and thank him.

If he had discharged and acquitted me then, God knows what the person who planned what happened to me would have done to me. He might have found a way to kill me. I might have died. The judge who sentenced me did well; he added a chance for the governor to pardon me after 10 years. I don’t harbour any ill feeling towards the judge or anybody.

But I will advise the police to be responsible and civil in discharging their duties. Not everyone will have the grace of coming out for people with a good heart and improved character. The police should try as much as possible to investigate thoroughly and weigh the level of offence before rushing to try suspects in court.

Police should also prioritise reforming suspects with minor offences instead of sending them to prison to meet hardened criminals who will make their lives complicated. I have seen a lot of instances where those who went to jail on trumped-up charges and minor crimes became hardened criminals after they left prison.

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.

The minors sometimes fall for the tricks because they are usually hungry and don’t have anyone to help them. But anytime these inmates are caught, they are always beaten and dealt with. Police and courts should consider the implications of throwing minors and small offenders into prison.

How will you describe the prison facilities?

The major challenge was congestion. There were too many people inside a limited space. Because of the population, 50 inmates would occupy a room that should naturally contain a maximum of 10 people. We sleep like fishes packed in a carton because everywhere is measured for us.

As an inmate, a space is measured for you to sleep because of congestion. Unfortunately, many innocent people are languishing in prisons. I pray God makes me a voice to speak up for their liberation. Some people have spent over 30 years and are due for freedom, but no one comes to their aid.