Nigerian man promised pardon after 10 years on death row for stealing hens

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has canvassed for a young man who was sentenced to death by hanging in 2010 for allegedly stealing a chicken and eggs. For years, Olowookere's parents, human rights groups and other Nigerians have fought for his release.

His parents were recently on a podcast where they cried and begged for their only child to be pardoned. In an interview with Biola Adebayo, a Nigerian actress, the parents of the victim claimed that police officers from the Osun command arrested Olowookere for an offence he did not commit.

Olowookere Olanrewaju, the man’s father, said a divisional police officer (DPO) asked him to pay N30,000 for his son’s release, but N20,000 was all he could raise at the time.

The case resurfaced during an interview with Nigerian actress Biola Adebayo, where the man’s parents maintained that their son, Olowookere Olanrewaju, was wrongfully accused. 

“We are here to beg Nigerians to help us. In 2010, I was at the shop where I was renting out cassettes, and at about 11 am, some police officers came around,” he said.

“We later found out some students from Segun’s school were in their vehicle and they said they were arrested because of the theft of a chicken and eggs.

“We later found out some students from Segun’s school were in their vehicle and they said they were arrested because of the theft of a chicken and eggs.

“Truth be told, Segun does not eat chicken. Because I trained broilers. He refused to run away, telling us that he didn’t know anything about the theft of the chicken.

“They came back around 9 pm in the night and he was eventually arrested. It was when I visited the station that I knew who owned the chicken and eggs. He was just like a brother to me.

“I was told by the DPO in charge to bring N30,000 so my son could be released but after running around, all I could raise was N20,000 which he refused to collect.”

Folashade Olowookere, mother of the victim, said her son, who was 17 at the time of his arrest, has now spent over 14 years in prison since he was sentenced.

However, in a statement on X on Tuesday, Adeleke instructed the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice to investigate the case and begin the process of granting the young man a pardon.

He wrote: “I have received the report of a case of a young man reportedly sentenced to death by hanging in Osun State for stealing a fowl.

“Consequently, I have directed the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Osun State, to commence a full investigation into the matter and initiate processes to grant the prerogative of mercy to the young man.

“Osun is a land of justice and equity and must ensure fairness and protection of the sanctity of lives. I assure members of the public that this matter is receiving my direct attention with every sense of urgency also attached to our response to the matter.”