The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has confirmed that a mobile phone belonging to a death row inmate at the Ibara Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, was recovered after the inmate used it to conduct a live session on TikTok. The phone, which was smuggled into the facility, has been secured as evidence, according to a press release issued on Wednesday, August 6, 2026, and signed by Chief Superintendent of Corrections JN Osuji.
Inmate Transferred and Officials Removed
The inmate, identified as Elijah Oyebode, has been transferred to another facility where he is being held under tighter security measures. Controller-General Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche condemned the incident and ordered the removal of the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara facility, along with two other principal officers, pending an investigation. The NCoS has not yet released further details about the investigation or the specific security lapses that allowed the phone to enter the facility.
Background of the Inmate
Elijah Oyebode was convicted in 2019 by Justice S. O. Falola of the Osun State High Court for the 2016 murder of Rofiat Adebisi, a final-year student of Osun State University who was abducted and killed for ritual purposes. He was sentenced to death by hanging. Despite his sentence, Oyebode maintained an active presence on TikTok, operating at least two accounts, including one under the handle @ayola.oluwafu, which reached Level 20 gifting status on the platform.
During an April 16, 2026 livestream, Oyebode told viewers, "An individual may have two to three phones. Facebook and TikTok are full of prisoners." He also disclosed earning ₦85,000 from a single sports bet placed the previous month. In addition, he created a second account impersonating TikTok live host Omolola Awoyele, who later confirmed through a video call that he was broadcasting from inside the prison. Awoyele said she initially sought legal help on his behalf but withdrew after obtaining court records and receiving a confession from him directly. He then began sending her threats from within the facility.
NCoS Response and Broader Context
The NCoS's swift action follows weeks of public anger over how an inmate on death row could operate freely on social media. The service's spokesperson previously acknowledged that over 1,400 officers had faced disciplinary action over misconduct, noting that "where there are so many individuals, there will be one or two bad eggs." Oyebode had also alleged during livestreams that correctional officers smuggled phones and drugs into the facility, and that wealthy inmates were occasionally escorted outside the prison by officers. The NCoS did not directly address those specific claims in its August 6 statement.
Related Developments in Correctional Education
In a separate development, six inmates of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja, earned university degrees from the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN), marking a significant milestone in Nigeria's correctional education and rehabilitation efforts. The certificates were presented at a ceremony in Abuja, highlighting the growing impact of educational access within custodial facilities and reinforcing the principle that incarceration can be a pathway to reform and reintegration.
