The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has removed the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, along with two other senior officers, following the discovery that a death row inmate used a mobile phone to host a viral TikTok livestream from inside the facility.
The inmate, Elijah Oyebode, was sentenced to death by hanging in 2019 after an Osun State High Court found him guilty of murdering Rofiat Adebisi, a final-year student of Osun State University.
Court records showed that Oyebode gave conflicting accounts of the incident before eventually denying involvement during his trial. However, the court convicted him based on medical evidence and other materials presented by the prosecution.
Despite being on death row, investigations revealed that Oyebode allegedly maintained an active presence on TikTok. One of his accounts reportedly attained **Level 20 gifting status**, enabling him to receive monetary gifts from viewers during livestreams. Investigators also linked him to another account allegedly created to impersonate a TikTok creator and activist.
In a statement issued on Thursday by its Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections, JN Osuji, the prison service said the incident constituted a serious breach of custodial security and violated existing regulations guiding correctional operations.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations confirmed that the inmate unlawfully possessed a prohibited mobile phone, which he used to access social media while in custody. The device has since been recovered during a search operation and secured as evidence in the ongoing investigation.
The Service further disclosed that Oyebode has been transferred to another custodial facility, where he is being held under enhanced security pending the conclusion of investigations.
As part of immediate disciplinary measures, the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre and two other principal officers have been relieved of their duties while the probe continues.
The NCoS warned that any official found to have facilitated, aided, condoned, or failed in their responsibilities in connection with the security breach would face appropriate disciplinary and administrative sanctions in accordance with existing regulations.
