Ogun Correctional Centre crisis

“We slept in hundreds, like packed sardines in a room that was supposed to accommodate twenty people. We battled skin rashes to head lice, bedbugs and then to mental disorder,” 50-year-old Idris (not real name) narrated his hellish experience behind bars at Ibara Correctional Center in Abeokuta, Ogun State.

His journey began on a sunny afternoon when he sighted his old-time friend around the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, secretariat, opposite NNPC mega station in Abeokuta.

Filled with euphoria, he hurriedly parked his car and crossed over to greet him. Unknown to Idris, a cult fracas had ensued the previous day and this led to confrontation and shooting at the scene.

“They started shooting, I was shot, and I shot at many people also, but I was overpowered since there were many and the person I went to greet had fled the scene. I had a cut on my neck which landed me at the Federal Medical Center, Idi-Aba where I spent almost a month, from there I was taken to Ibara police station, then to Eleweran and after spending months I taken to court and charged for attempted murder and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition,” he told DAILY POST.