By: Lauretta Fagbohun, Abeokuta.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has removed the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, along with two other senior officers, following a security breach that saw a death row inmate appear in a viral TikTok livestream using an unauthorised mobile phone.
The inmate, Elijah Oyebode, was sentenced to death by hanging in 2019 after an Osun State High Court convicted him of murdering Rofiat Adebisi, a final-year student of Osun State University. During his trial, Oyebode reportedly gave conflicting accounts of the incident before denying involvement, but the court found him guilty based on medical and other evidence.
Investigations revealed that despite being on death row, Oyebode allegedly operated an active TikTok account. One of the accounts reportedly reached Level 20 gifting status, allowing him to receive monetary gifts from viewers during livestreams. He was also linked to another account allegedly used to impersonate a TikTok content creator and activist.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the NCoS Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections JN Osuji, described the incident as a grave breach of custodial security and a violation of the Service’s regulations.
According to the statement, preliminary findings confirmed that the inmate unlawfully possessed a prohibited mobile phone, which he used to access social media while in custody. The device has since been recovered during a search operation and secured as evidence.
The Service disclosed that Oyebode has been transferred to another custodial facility, where he is now being held under stricter security measures pending the conclusion of ongoing investigations.
As part of immediate disciplinary actions, the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre and two other principal officers have been relieved of their duties pending the outcome of the probe.
The NCoS reiterated its commitment to maintaining discipline and security across its custodial centres, warning that any officer found to have facilitated, aided, condoned, or failed to prevent the breach would face appropriate administrative and disciplinary sanctions in accordance with existing regulations.
