Segun Olowookere recounts his harrowing experience of being sentenced to death in Osun State for allegedly stealing chickens. Arrested at 17, he alleges police torture, coerced confessions, and a flawed judicial process. His story highlights systemic issues in Nigeria’s justice system and calls attention to youth rights and police accountability.
Segun Olowookere, a young Nigerian man sentenced to death in Osun State for allegedly stealing chickens, has shared the harrowing details of his arrest, detention, and conviction. The incident occurred in November 2010 when Olowookere, then 17, was accused of stealing fowl and eggs alongside another suspect, Sunday Morakinyo.
Arrested at his father’s shop, Olowookere recounted how police officers stormed the location, prompting his father to urge him to flee. Despite his father’s warning, Olowookere surrendered to the officers, leading to his detention. He was accused of leading a group of minors in the alleged theft.
Olowookere claimed he was tortured at the police station to extract a confession, which he repeatedly denied. Despite his father’s efforts to secure his release on bail, the police rejected a partial payment of the demanded sum. Subsequently, Olowookere and Morakinyo were transferred to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in Osogbo, where further allegations of armed robbery were leveled against them.
After spending 17 days in custody, the duo was arraigned in court on robbery charges and later sentenced to death by the Osun State High Court. Olowookere maintains his innocence, stating that the allegations were fabricated and the confession coerced.
