A death-row inmate at the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, allegedly operated multiple TikTok accounts, hosted livestreams and received financial gifts from supporters while serving a death sentence for murder.
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, Ipetu Ijesha campus. Court records showed that the victim was killed on December 22, 2016, while waiting for transportation to Osogbo. During the trial, Oyebode gave conflicting accounts of the incident, but the court relied on medical and other evidence before finding him guilty.
An investigation revealed that despite his incarceration, Oyebode allegedly had access to smartphones and internet services within the custodial facility, enabling him to maintain an active presence on TikTok. He reportedly interacted with thousands of followers, hosted livestreams and received virtual gifts and donations, with many viewers unaware that he was a condemned inmate.
The investigation also claimed that Oyebode operated a second TikTok account using the identity of activist Omolola Awoyele. Awoyele said she confronted the inmate after discovering the account, prompting him to remove her photograph and change the account name. She added that she initially believed his claims of innocence and sought legal assistance for him before later distancing herself after reviewing court documents and allegedly receiving threats.
During one of Awoyele’s TikTok livestreams in April 2026, Oyebode allegedly claimed that many inmates possessed internet-enabled phones inside the prison and accused some correctional officers of helping to smuggle the devices into the facility. He also alleged that inmates used the phones to access social media, receive money online and engage in betting activities. These claims have not been independently verified.
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) acknowledged that some officers could compromise security procedures but said evidence would be required to identify and prosecute those responsible. The agency noted that the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 prohibits inmates from using unauthorised communication devices and prescribes penalties for officers found aiding such violations.
NCoS spokesperson Jane Osuji warned that unrestricted internet access by inmates poses a serious security risk, saying offenders could coordinate criminal activities from within correctional facilities. She disclosed that more than 1,400 officers had faced disciplinary action for various forms of misconduct and urged members of the public not to send money or virtual gifts to inmates operating unauthorised social media accounts.
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