I spent 28 years on death row for nothing — Onwuche, 68-year-old cook - Newstrends
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I spent 28 years on death row for nothing — Onwuche, 68-year-old cook

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5 years ago

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Thirty-nine years ago, Mr. Innocent Onwuche, an indigene of Umuahia, Abia State was a relatively comfortable man. He had a wife, a son, and a comfortable job as a cook in the residence of a very notable accountant in Ibadan, Oyo State.

A few years before then, he had voluntarily left the services of one of the biggest firms in the South-West at that time, after working for 10 years as a cook.

For someone who had no formal education, Innocent considered himself a successful man among his peers. Life, however, suddenly took a bad twist for him one fateful morning when a team of policemen pretending to be job seekers arrested him outside the gate of the house of his boss and bundled him into their van.

Arrested, tortured for unknown crime
Narrating how the incident happened, Onwuche said: “I was inside my Oga’s house when someone told me that some people outside were looking for me. The person said they were looking for a job and wanted my assistance. Immediately I stepped outside the gate to meet them, they grabbed me. I was confused and began to fight them. The vases in front of the house were all broken during the fight. But they finally subdued me and bundled me into their van.”

Onwuche said he was taken to Sango Otta Police Station where he was beaten thoroughly for fighting the policemen who arrested him. According to him, despite his persistent inquiry, no one told him his crime. He said: “While at the police station, no one told me what I did. In the morning, I was seriously beaten again by the policemen who claimed that I used charm to fight them. They broke my leg with their baton, poured a bucket full of urine by some prostitutes arrested the previous night on me.

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“I was in serious pain and couldn’t walk. That morning they said there was no cell in Sango Otta Police Station and that they were taking me to Bodija Police Station. On our way to the station, they stopped at Sango Market, bought about 12 canes. When they got to the station, they descended heavily on me with the canes.”

Writhing in pain from his broken bones, Innocent said he continued to ask them his offence until the police officers finally told him that a man had died from an acid wound and that he (Onwuche) was responsible for the death. “Two days after my arrest, they told me that I poured acid on someone and that after three days, the man died in the hospital,” he said.

Scammed by late acid attack victim
Recalling his connection with the man who was said to have died from an acid attack, Innocent said he was shocked over the allegation that he killed the victim. “I was shocked when they said I poured acid on the man. When they described the man, it was then I recalled that he was the one that duped me of N17, 650 some months back,” he said.

Giving further details of his connection with the dead victim, Onwuche stated: “One of my friends then, Balogun, introduced me to some men who I later discovered were into fraud. They asked me to write a letter for them and after some days, they came to thank me that the letter worked for them. Another day, they met me on my way to Sango Market and insisted that I must know their house. When I got to their house, they showed me how they can use black soap to make someone rich. They duped me N17,650 that day.

“I later met one Fred who offered to assist me to recover my money. He brought some soldiers who went with me to recover the money. The soldiers flogged the fraudsters but still, they couldn’t produce my money. They, however, left the fraudsters after they promised to pay my money back. I kept disturbing them but they never paid me the money. It was after some months that the police arrested me for the death of one of the fraudsters through an acid attack.”

Onwuche’s trial for the murder of the man whom he insists duped him lasted for eight years with many dramas. From the Magistrate Court, the matter was moved to the High Court following the advice of the Directorate of Public Prosecution, DPP, that he had a case to answer.

Mysterious deaths
Whether it was a sign of his innocence, he could not tell, but Onwuche noted that four out of the five persons that testified against him in court died mysteriously. According to him: “The deceased man’s mother insisted that I came alone while another witness said I came in the company of three other people. The late man’s wife died of complications from abortion on the day he was to testify in court. The interpreter also died; likewise the third witness. The late man’s son called Bala also died; making it a total of four persons that died in the matter.”

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Condemned to death
When Onwuche’s trial began at the High Court, he could not afford a lawyer and had to rely on the services of a pro-bono lawyer from the Office of the Public Defender, OPD. Despite insisting on his innocence, the court found him guilty and sentenced him to die by hanging on December 16, 2002. ‘I never committed that crime,’ he told our correspondent. Innocent’s conviction never went to appeal because he could not afford it. A lawyer, who had offered to appeal on his behalf pro-bono, had a fatal accident on his way to file the court process and that was the end of any attempt to prove his innocence at a higher court.

Abandoned by family
For the 28 years Onwuche spent in prison, he was never visited by any of his family members or close relatives. His wife abandoned him immediately after his arrest and went away with their only son who was just an infant then. Fighting back tears as he recalled how his wife and her mother treated him, he said: “Immediately I was arrested and taken to the police station, she left me. She came to see me three times at the police station with her mother and that was all. I had a son with her and she took him away.” During the period of his incarceration, Onwuche lost his mother and his older siblings. His father died before he was imprisoned.

Scary nights in death row cell
When asked to describe what it is like to be in a death row cell, Onwuche paused for some seconds before saying: “I don’t wish my enemy the things I went through in death row cell. Because there was no gallows in Agodi prisons, after I was convicted, they took me to Ibara prisons where I spent years in a dark cell. The cell was dark throughout the day.” Pointing to his infected eyes which he struggled to open intermittently, he said: “I cannot see well now because of that dark experience. These two eyes are almost gone.”

Continuing with his narration about the death row cell, he said: “We stay days without seeing the light of day. Sometimes, we are about 56 condemned prisoners in one cell. They just pack us like Sardine. Bathing was also a problem. If you see one bottled water to bath with for a month, you will be very happy. The stench from the cell can kill a normal person.

“As a condemned prisoner, I don’t have any hope other than to wake up every day and pray. Fridays were usually the scariest days for me and others there because that was when the black-maria usually comes to take those to be executed. Once they come, our death row inmates will tell us ‘Omo chop your beans, time don come o’. In the morning of any execution day, you will hear warders barking like dogs during the parade. Immediately they open the cells, they will handcuff and leg-chain those to be executed and take them away.

Once any person has been taken away, the rest of us will be panicking because we don’t know who will be next. Immediately they take one or two persons out, the rest of us will start purging. We can go to the toilet several times out of the anxiety of who is next. In the morning you will hear something like ‘four blankets don lost’, meaning four inmates have been killed the previous night.”

Freedom at last!
Freedom was the last thing on Onwuche’s mind as he went through the ordeal of waiting endlessly for the hangman’s rope. The best he hoped for was to commute his death sentence to life imprisonment, unknown to him that the state government had already considered and granted his plea for freedom. Onwuche said he wept for joy when the news of his release came.

“From time to time, we usually wrote a letter of clemency but we are not even sure whether it got anywhere,” he said. Continuing his narration, he said:” The prison official collected money from us for the letter but often time we did’nt get the result. We just continued writing with the hope that one day, something would happen. We gave prison officers over N8, 000 for delivery. In the last week of November, I was shocked when my name was mentioned among those that have been granted amnesty. I cried because I know I didn’t commit the crime for which I was convicted.

Regrets
Onwuche concluded his story by pointing out that he has forgiven those who accused him wrongly. His only regret, however, is the pain and wasted years. “I don’t hold a grudge against those who accused me wrongly. What pained me most is that I had to go through all these because of N17,650. What is the value of that money now? If I had let go of that money without making any trouble, at least I would have been able to buy a bicycle, at least if I didn’t achieve much. Imagine spending 28 years because of N17, 560!’

Appeal for assistance
Appealing to Nigerians to help him restart his life, Onwuche said: “The reason many inmates go back to crime is that when they come out, nobody wants to assist them. When there is no job to do, how do you expect them to cope with their new life? Government should provide jobs for them. If I can get just an oven now, I will start baking and become useful to myself and my family. I can also fry buns and chin chin. I can make disinfectants and hair cream. I just need assistance to start a new life. I learned so many things while in prison from NGOs that come to talk to us. I learned baking and other handiwork. I acquired over 10 certificates while there.”

– by Henry Ojelu/Vanguard News Nigeria./The Eagle

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UPDATED: Gbajabiamila gives Adeniyi 72 hours to retract allegations or face ₦10bn defamation suit

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9 hours ago

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July 7, 2026

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UPDATED: Gbajabiamila gives Adeniyi 72 hours to retract allegations or face ₦10bn defamation suit
Chief of Staff to the President Femi Gbajabiamila and Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi

UPDATED: Gbajabiamila gives Adeniyi 72 hours to retract allegations or face ₦10bn defamation suit

The Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, has issued a 72-hour ultimatum to Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew, demanding the immediate retraction of what he described as false and defamatory allegations made against him during a press conference held on June 25, 2026, or face both civil and criminal legal proceedings.

The ultimatum was conveyed through Gbajabiamila’s legal counsel, Pinheiro LP, in a cease-and-desist letter dated July 6, 2026, and signed by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kemi Pinheiro.

According to the letter, the allegations made by Prince Adeniyi were “false, malicious, reckless and entirely without factual foundation,” and have caused serious damage to the reputation of the President’s Chief of Staff.

The legal notice followed a widely circulated press conference in which Prince Adeniyi levelled several allegations against Gbajabiamila, including claims that the Chief of Staff demanded 48 per cent of the take-off grant for the alleged Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), received ₦400 million through proxies in connection with appointments, abused his office to intimidate individuals and media organisations, manipulated security agencies, engaged in budget fraud, corruption and abuse of office, and participated in a criminal cover-up, including allegations of murder.

Gbajabiamila’s lawyers rejected the allegations in their entirety, insisting that the Chief of Staff has never met, spoken with or had any personal or official relationship with Prince Adeniyi.

According to the law firm, the allegations amount to grave accusations of criminal conduct made without any credible evidence or lawful justification.

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The solicitors argued that the publication had exposed Gbajabiamila to public ridicule, damaged his reputation both within and outside Nigeria, and undermined public confidence in his office.

“Our client has never at any time met, interacted with, communicated with, or had any form of personal or official dealing whatsoever with you,” the letter stated.

“It is therefore reckless, malicious and entirely baseless to fabricate allegations against someone with whom you have had absolutely no relationship.”

The law firm further argued that the allegations extended beyond legitimate political criticism or fair comment, describing them as deliberate attempts to portray the Chief of Staff as corrupt, dishonest, criminally culpable and unfit for public office.

According to the solicitors, the allegations have generated widespread public attention following their circulation across print, electronic and social media platforms.

The lawyers also drew attention to the ongoing criminal case involving Prince Adeniyi before the Federal High Court, Abuja, identified as Charge No. FHC/ABJ/CR/652/2026, FRN v. Prince Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew & Ors, in which he is facing charges relating to the alleged forgery of presidential appointment letters and other official documents.

They noted that several issues raised during the June 25 press conference are already the subject of judicial proceedings and criticised Prince Adeniyi for allegedly attempting to litigate the matter through the media instead of allowing the court process to take its course.

“Trial by media remains unknown to Nigerian law and cannot substitute for due process,” the solicitors stated.

As part of the legal demand, Gbajabiamila is requesting that Prince Adeniyi immediately cease making or publishing any further defamatory statements concerning him.

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He is also demanding the removal of all videos, transcripts, publications and other materials relating to the press conference from every platform under Prince Adeniyi’s control.

In addition, the Chief of Staff is insisting on the publication of a full, unequivocal and unreserved apology and retraction in at least five national newspapers, as well as on all digital platforms where the allegations were published.

The lawyers further demanded a written undertaking that Prince Adeniyi would refrain from making any further defamatory statements against their client.

The legal team warned that failure to comply with the demands within 72 hours would result in both civil and criminal proceedings.

According to the letter, the proposed civil action will seek ₦10 billion in aggravated and exemplary damages, with any compensation awarded to be donated to charities chosen by Gbajabiamila.

The suit will also seek a perpetual injunction restraining further publication of the allegations and a mandatory court order compelling Prince Adeniyi to publish a retraction and apology.

In addition, the lawyers disclosed that a criminal complaint alleging criminal defamation under the applicable laws of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) would be filed.

The legal notice comes amid growing controversy surrounding the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

During his June 25 press conference, Prince Adeniyi called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to establish an independent investigative panel to examine issues surrounding the alleged agency following a disclaimer issued by the Office of the Chief of Staff.

He maintained that the controversy raises broader concerns about governance, transparency and accountability.

Among other claims, Prince Adeniyi questioned references to the alleged agency in the 2026 Appropriation Act, queried whether it operated bank accounts with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and asked whether it was allocated office space within the Federal Secretariat.

He argued that these issues deserved an independent investigation and urged any investigative panel to include civil society organisations and international observers to ensure credibility.

Prince Adeniyi also alleged that disagreements between him and Gbajabiamila arose from an alleged demand for a percentage of the agency’s take-off grant and claimed that proxy payments amounting to ₦400 million had been made in connection with the matter.

However, no documentary evidence supporting those allegations was presented during the press conference.

He further called for investigations into the death of an intermediary he identified as Babatunde Tanimola, alleged assassination attempts against him, and a forensic examination of documents he claimed were signed by the Chief of Staff.

The dispute has taken on added significance following the Presidency’s recent directive to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate the activities of the purported PFIPC, including allegations of forged government documents, impersonation, abuse of official identity and other related offences.

As of the time of filing this report, Prince Adeniyi had not publicly responded to the cease-and-desist letter issued by Gbajabiamila’s legal team.

UPDATED: Gbajabiamila gives Adeniyi 72 hours to retract allegations or face ₦10bn defamation suit

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BREAKING: Tinubu orders ICPC to probe alleged PFIPC fraud, submit report in 30 days

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9 hours ago

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July 7, 2026

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BREAKING: Tinubu orders ICPC to probe alleged PFIPC fraud, submit report in 30 days

BREAKING: Tinubu orders ICPC to probe alleged PFIPC fraud, submit report in 30 days

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has directed the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to launch a comprehensive investigation into the activities of the purported Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC), ordering the anti-graft agency to conclude its probe and submit a report within 30 days.

The directive, announced on Tuesday in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, followed what the Presidency described as the discovery that the PFIPC was never legally established by the Federal Government of Nigeria.

According to the Presidency, investigations revealed that the organisation has “no basis in any law, presidential instrument, executive approval or any other lawful act of government,” raising serious concerns over alleged impersonation, forgery and abuse of official government identity.

The statement alleged that one Adeniyi Adeyemi Matthew falsely presented himself as the Director-General of the organisation and claimed to be a presidential appointee despite lacking any legal authority to hold such a position.

As part of the investigation, President Tinubu directed the ICPC to examine allegations bordering on the forgery of appointment letters and other official government documents allegedly used to portray the organisation as a legitimate federal institution.

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The Commission is also expected to investigate claims that the alleged false presidential appointment was used to obtain official recognition, diplomatic support and visa facilitation from government institutions and foreign missions.

In addition, the anti-corruption agency will probe the opening and operation of multiple bank accounts in the names of purported government agencies using allegedly forged documents.

According to the Presidency, the investigation will go beyond document forgery to uncover the full scope of the alleged operation.

The ICPC has been mandated to determine the origin and use of the alleged forged official documents, establish how official recognition or diplomatic support may have been obtained, trace the opening and operation of bank accounts linked to the organisation, and investigate the source and movement of any funds connected to the alleged scheme.

The Commission is also expected to identify the roles played by any public officials, private individuals, financial institutions, intermediaries or other entities that may have facilitated, enabled or participated in the alleged activities.

President Tinubu further directed investigators to examine the circumstances that allowed the purported organisation and the alleged false claim of presidential appointment to appear credible to members of the public and government institutions.

The Presidency said the investigation should identify institutional loopholes or procedural weaknesses that may have been exploited and recommend reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.

To ensure a thorough investigation, all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) of the Federal Government have been instructed to cooperate fully with the ICPC by providing all relevant records, documents and other information whenever lawfully requested.

President Tinubu stressed that protecting the credibility and integrity of the Presidency and other government institutions remains a top priority.

“The integrity of the Presidency and the institutions of the Federal Government must be protected against impersonation, forgery, abuse of official identity and the exploitation of weaknesses in the public service,” the President said.

He also directed that all persons found culpable after the investigation should be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.

The directive comes amid heightened scrutiny over the alleged activities of the purported organisation and signals the administration’s determination to safeguard government institutions from fraudulent representations and abuse of public trust.

The ICPC is expected to submit its findings to the Presidency within the stipulated 30-day period, after which appropriate administrative, civil or criminal actions may be taken against anyone found to have violated the law.

BREAKING: Tinubu orders ICPC to probe alleged PFIPC fraud, submit report in 30 days

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ICPC arrests El-Rufai’s doctor over alleged false statements, court order breach

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10 hours ago

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July 7, 2026

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ICPC arrests El-Rufai's doctor over alleged false statements, court order breach

ICPC arrests El-Rufai’s doctor over alleged false statements, court order breach

The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) has arrested Professor Bello Abubakar, the personal physician to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, over allegations of making false statements and facilitating what the anti-graft agency described as a violation of a court-approved medical visit.

The Commission disclosed that Professor Abubakar was taken into custody on Tuesday following a visit to the National Hospital, Abuja, which it said was approved solely for El-Rufai to receive medical attention while in ICPC custody.

According to a statement issued by the Commission’s spokesperson, John Odey, the ICPC granted El-Rufai’s request for medical consultation in compliance with an order of the Kaduna State High Court and in line with its statutory obligation to protect the rights, dignity and welfare of persons in its custody.

The anti-graft agency explained that the Kaduna State High Court had fixed July 6, 7 and 8, 2026, for the accelerated hearing of criminal charges pending against the former governor.

However, on the first day of hearing, El-Rufai did not appear in court. According to the prosecution, when ICPC officers arrived to escort him to the courtroom, he declined to leave, insisting that he wanted to consult his personal physician.

The Commission further claimed that no prior request had been made for the medical consultation. It also alleged that when questioned by the Commission’s medical doctor, El-Rufai reportedly said he had no immediate medical complaints but stated that his wife, Asia El-Rufai, who is also one of his legal counsel, requested that he see Professor Abubakar.

Following arguments by both parties, the court adjourned further proceedings until July 15, 2026, to hear El-Rufai’s application seeking the trial judge’s recusal and to await the decision of the Kaduna State Chief Judge on a pending petition requesting that the case be transferred to another judge.

Despite the adjournment, the ICPC said it facilitated the former governor’s visit to the private wing of the National Hospital under strict security arrangements.

According to the Commission, its medical and security personnel remained outside the consultation room at the request of El-Rufai’s family while he was purportedly being examined by his attending physician.

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However, the anti-graft agency said the visit took an unexpected turn after photographs allegedly showing El-Rufai meeting with political associates surfaced on social media.

The ICPC said one of El-Rufai’s political associates, Isa Ashiru Kudan, posted photographs on Facebook at about 2:00 p.m., claiming they had just concluded a meeting with the former governor.

According to the Commission, the photographs showed El-Rufai alongside Professor Abubakar, Isa Ashiru Kudan and three other individuals inside the hospital at a time when the visit was expected to be strictly for medical consultation.

The Commission alleged that the meeting exceeded the scope of the court-approved hospital visit and constituted a violation of the court’s order.

“The images and post indicated that the arranged medical visit was utilised for activities outside the scope contemplated by the court and the ICPC. This is a clear violation of the court order,” the statement said.

The ICPC further stated that it had exercised patience, professionalism and courtesy in handling El-Rufai and other suspects in its custody but alleged that such courtesies had been abused.

It added that it would formally draw what it described as El-Rufai’s “flagrant disobedience of court orders” to the attention of the court.

The Commission also announced the arrest of Professor Abubakar, alleging that he made false statements during the course of the hospital visit. It said the physician remains in custody while investigations continue.

“The professional and humane nature of the ICPC should not be taken for granted,” the Commission said, adding that it would not tolerate the abuse of its goodwill by any individual or group.

The latest development marks another twist in the ongoing legal proceedings involving the former Kaduna governor. As of the time of filing this report, Nasir El-Rufai, Professor Bello Abubakar, and their legal representatives had not publicly responded to the allegations made by the ICPC.

It remains unclear whether the Commission will file additional charges arising from the alleged breach of the court-approved medical visit. The case is expected to return to the Kaduna State High Court on July 15, when the court will consider the pending applications and determine the next stage of the trial.

ICPC arrests El-Rufai’s doctor over alleged false statements, court order breach

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