Activist Appeals for Mercy: 64-Year-Old Man on Death Row for 20 Years

Human rights activist, Comrade Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen, has made a heartfelt appeal to Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, urging him to grant a pardon to 64-year-old Kolawole Oladeji, who has spent the past 20 years in prison. Oladeji was sentenced to death in 1999 for allegedly possessing a stolen generator that was brought to him for repairs by a customer.

In a statement made available to the press in Warri, Delta State, Agberen highlighted the suffering that Oladeji has endured during his two decades in prison, stating, “Please, Mr. Governor, pardon him because he has suffered more than enough in prison.”

Agberen also raised concerns over what he perceives as a pattern of harsh sentencing in the Western region of Nigeria, particularly in cases involving relatively minor crimes. “I am beginning to suspect that judges in the Western region of Nigeria take considerable pleasure in imposing death sentences, particularly in relatively minor cases,” Agberen remarked. “At some point, one cannot help but wonder if there is more to these cases than just the allegations.”

The activist referred to another case in which a man, Segun Olowookere, was sentenced to death in 2010 for theft but had his death sentence commuted to a pardon by Governor Ademola Adeleke in 2024 after spending 10 years on death row. This intervention, Agberen suggested, provides a precedent for granting mercy in similar cases.

The plea for Oladeji’s pardon underscores Agberen’s broader concerns about the justice system and the need for compassion in cases involving individuals who have already suffered long-term imprisonment.