Gov Otti Secures Release of Abia Indigene, Others After 26 Years on Death Row

Exemplifying true statesmanship and concern for justice” , Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, has secured the release of Mr. Ogbonnaya Igbojionu, an indigene of Abia, and two other Nigerian citizens who had spent 26 years on death row.

Mr. Igbojionu was remanded in 1999 and sentenced to death in 2003 over the purchase of a generator allegedly linked to a theft case.

Igbojionu was released alongside two other prisoners also on death row.

The journey to their freedom began when Hon. Simon Oshi, a politician from Enugu State, brought the matter to Governor Otti’s attention after learning about it from a social media influencer, Olumide Ogunsanwo, popularly known as “Sea King.”

“When I saw the story online, I went with a team of lawyers and Sea King himself to verify it. That’s when I met Ogbonnaya, and upon learning he was from Abia, I promised to inform our Governor,” Hon. Oshi recounted.

True to his word, Hon. Oshi approached Governor Otti, who wasted no time dispatching the Attorney-General of Abia State to Kirikiri Prison in Lagos to verify the story.

“Once the Attorney-General confirmed it, Governor Otti immediately wrote to the Governor of the state where the case originated,” Oshi explained. “He kept pushing. And now, after 26 long years, Ogbonnaya and the others are free.”

Governor Otti officially received the freed men—Mr. Igbojionu, Mr. Olawale Adediji, and a third individual who could not immediately travel—on Saturday, expressing gratitude to Hon. Oshi for his persistence and to the influencer whose advocacy played a key role.

“God may have allowed you to experience temporary incarceration just to help others gain their freedom,” Otti said to Sea King. “You didn’t say ‘it’s not my concern.’ You acted, and now lives have changed.”

The Governor disclosed that although the prisoners were held in Lagos, the case was under Ogun State jurisdiction, requiring the cooperation of Governor Dapo Abiodun. He praised his Ogun counterpart for responding promptly to his letter and helping bring the matter to a just conclusion.

“Justice is everything. You can have all the money in the world, but if you’re not contributing to a just society, it’s meaningless,” Governor Otti said. “We will all leave this world one day, and only the impact we make will live on.”

Governor Otti assured that his administration would ensure the full reintegration of the freed citizens into society. He assigned Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Prince Uzor Nwachukwu, and Commissioner for Power and Public Utilities, Engr Ikechukwu Monday, to oversee the process in collaboration with relevant departments.

“They may not directly handle reintegration, but I’ve given them the responsibility. We will support you, restore your dignity, and help you start again,” he added.

In an emotional address, Mr. Igbojionu, who hails from Ikwuano Local Government Area, shared his ordeal. A generator dealer by trade, he recounted how a man named Segun Ajibade sold him a generator in 1999, only to return two weeks later with police officers. He was arrested, beaten, and forced to sign a statement he wasn’t allowed to read.

“I was remanded in 1999, sentenced to death in 2003, and I’ve been in prison until this year. But God used Governor Otti to spare my life,” he said.

With their release now official, the men can finally begin to rebuild their lives, thanks to a coalition of citizen activism, political will, and true leadership.