Ogun Prison Scandal: Killer Earned Money On TikTok

A death-row inmate at the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, has come under fresh scrutiny after an investigation allegedly revealed that he operated multiple TikTok accounts, hosted livestreams and received financial gifts from supporters while awaiting execution.

According to Ireporter Online, the inmate, Elijah Oyebode, was sentenced to death by hanging by the Osun State High Court in 2019 after being convicted of murdering Rofiat Adebisi, a final-year student of Osun State University, Ipetu Ijesha campus. Court records showed that the crime occurred on December 22, 2016, after the victim was reportedly picked up by Oyebode while waiting for transportation.

The investigation alleged that despite his incarceration, Oyebode had unrestricted access to smartphones and internet services inside the correctional facility, enabling him to maintain an active social media presence, interact with thousands of users and receive monetary donations through TikTok’s virtual gifting system.

One of the accounts reportedly linked to the inmate reached Level 20 gifting status, suggesting significant financial activity. Many of those who joined his livestreams were allegedly unaware that he was a condemned prisoner serving a death sentence.

The report further claimed that Oyebode operated another TikTok account using the identity of popular content creator and activist Omolola Awoyele. Awoyele disclosed that the inmate used her name and photograph without permission before later changing the account details after she confronted him over the alleged impersonation.

She explained that she initially believed Oyebode’s claims of innocence after discovering one of his livestreams and even sought legal assistance to help pursue an appeal. However, after reviewing certified court documents detailing the murder case, she said she ended all communication with him, alleging that he later issued threats against her.

During one of his livestreams, Oyebode reportedly claimed that numerous inmates at the custodial centre possessed internet-enabled mobile phones, alleging that some correctional officers assisted prisoners in smuggling prohibited devices into the facility. He also alleged that phones seized by other officers were often returned after inmates paid money.

The condemned inmate further made allegations that some officials facilitated the smuggling of illicit drugs into the prison and, in some cases, allowed wealthy inmates to leave the facility under supervision to attend to private business interests outside the prison. These allegations have not been independently verified.

Reacting to the revelations, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) acknowledged that some personnel could compromise security procedures but insisted that evidence would be required to identify and prosecute anyone involved in such misconduct.

National spokesperson for the Service, Jane Osuji, warned that unauthorised access to mobile phones and the internet by inmates represents a serious national security threat, stressing that prisoners with unrestricted communication could coordinate criminal activities from inside correctional facilities.

She urged members of the public to refrain from sending money or virtual gifts to inmates operating illegal social media accounts, warning that such actions undermine rehabilitation efforts and encourage continued misconduct within custodial centres.

Osuji also noted that the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, prescribes penalties of up to ₦3 million in fines or three years’ imprisonment for officers found guilty of facilitating inmates’ access to unauthorised communication devices. She disclosed that more than 1,400 correctional personnel have faced disciplinary actions in recent years for various forms of misconduct, while the Service continues to strengthen security through surprise searches and plans to install closed-circuit television cameras across custodial facilities.

Despite the official response, questions remain over how the condemned inmate allegedly sustained multiple social media accounts, conducted livestreams, received financial contributions and engaged in online betting activities for an extended period while on death row.