Segun Olowookere, a Nigerian man who has spent over a decade on death row for stealing hens and eggs, is set to receive a pardon from Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke. Arrested in 2010 at just 17 years old, Olowookere and his accomplice, Morakinyo Sunday, were accused of attacking the homes of a police officer and another individual using an old-fashioned wooden gun and a sword. Despite the dramatic nature of the attack, they only managed to escape with some poultry.
In 2014, Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court found them guilty of forcefully breaking into the police officer’s house and stealing his belongings. Both were sentenced to death by hanging, sparking outrage across Nigeria, with many decrying the punishment as excessively harsh for the crime. The two were later transferred to Lagos State’s notorious Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison, where they have remained on death row for years.
Olowookere’s parents, in an interview with Biola Adebayo, shared that their son was wrongfully arrested in 2010 for a crime he did not commit. They explained that police officers came to their home, mistakenly linking Segun to the theft of a chicken and eggs, a crime he had no involvement in. Segun’s father, Olanrewaju, revealed that the police demanded N30,000 for his son’s release, but he could only raise N20,000, which was rejected. His parents maintained that Segun, who did not even eat chicken, had no knowledge of the theft and was wrongly accused.
Advocacy for Olowookere’s release has been relentless, led by his parents, human rights organizations, and concerned Nigerians. His parents recently made an emotional plea on a popular podcast, calling for their son’s freedom. On Tuesday, Governor Adeleke finally responded, directing the Commissioner for Justice to begin the process of granting Olowookere a prerogative of mercy. “Osun is a land of justice and equity. We must ensure fairness and protect the sanctity of lives,” the governor wrote on X.
With the pardon now in motion, Olowookere is expected to regain his freedom early in 2025. However, uncertainty surrounds the fate of his accomplice, Morakinyo Sunday, whose name was not mentioned in the governor’s statement
