A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) in Ogun State, Olufemi Ajadi, has facilitated the release of four inmates at the Ibara Correctional Centre in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, whose offences attracted the option of a fine.
Ajadi’s act of compassion in a statement on Sunday saw the release of Damilola Opebi, Oyebolu Shina, Dare Lawal, and Oluwasegun Ayobami.
The gesture by Ajadi, who is the gubernatorial candidate of the NNPP in Ogun State in the 2023 general elections, has generated reactions within the community and in political circles.
The development, according to the statement, marks a unique instance where a political figure, particularly a gubernatorial candidate, has directly intervened in the lives of individuals entangled in the criminal justice system.
Damilola Opebi, Oyebolu Shina, Dare Lawal, and Oluwasegun Ayobami had been serving sentences in the Ibara Correctional Centre, awaiting the legal processes that could potentially grant them their freedom.
Ajadi, who had been told by his legal team led by Isaac Dale Izunya about the issues facing the criminal justice system, took it upon himself to ensure that these individuals were not left languishing in incarceration.
According to Ajadi, “I am not an advocate for criminal and illegal activities, but I believe that the penalties for the less criminal offenders could be paid for after the wrongdoers have sobered and promised to desist from such crimes.”
The move has sparked a debate among Ogun State residents and political observers in which some applauded Ajadi for his empathy and willingness to address the challenges within the correctional system, while others questioned the motivation behind this act, suggesting political grandstanding in the wake of a closely contested election.
In response to the controversy, Ajadi’s legal team, led by Barrister Isaac Izunya, in a statement on Sunday, emphasised their client’s commitment to criminal justice reform and a fairer legal system.
Izunya asserted that this gesture was an embodiment of Ajadi’s vision for a more just and compassionate society, irrespective of political considerations.
According to Izunya, the bailing of the four convicts by Olufemi Ajadi has undoubtedly added a new dimension to the political landscape in Ogun State”.
While the convicts were being interrogated by journalists one after the other at the point of their release on Friday, August 18, 2023, Damilola Opebi, who is a skilled generator repairer, said he found himself behind bars for unknowingly buying a stolen phone.
With determination to leave the past behind, he expressed his newfound ambition: “I want to engage myself now in a monthly-paying job so that I will be a sponsor to my musical talent.”
Oyebolu Shina, a talented fashion designer who temporarily set aside his creative pursuits to work as a clerk in a supermarket in Otta, said his time there led to incarceration due to missing goods.
“I was jailed because some goods under my watch got missing; I wish Olufemi Ajadi a successful outcome in all his endeavours to pay for my fine,” he said.
Dare Lawal, a motorcycle rider, faced a difficult choice when he stole someone else’s house rooftop to sell and raise money to repair his dilapidated motorcycle.
After serving time behind bars, he emerged with a heartfelt promise to the Nigerian community: “I have been to jail, and Ajadi has paid my fine to be released. I promise Nigerians that I won’t engage in nefarious activities anymore.
May Almighty God bless Olufemi Ajadi for his kind gesture for humanity.”
Oluwasegun Ayobami, who is a truck driver, found himself behind bars after he stood as a guarantor for his friend, Muse, who absconded with a motorcycle meant to be paid for in instalments.
Ayobami said he was arrested on July 10, 2023, and sentenced to two years imprisonment, adding that Ajadi’s kind gesture has reversed the jail term.
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