The Ogun State Government has officially debunked and strongly refuted the widespread claims circulating online suggesting that Ogbonna Ogbojionu, who was recently released after spending over two decades behind bars, was wrongly imprisoned merely for buying a stolen generator. The government stressed that these narratives are completely false and misleading, aimed at rewriting the true story of his conviction.
In a detailed statement released to the public by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Oluwasina Ogungbade (SAN), the government clarified that Ogbojionu was not an innocent victim of wrongful prosecution, but rather, was lawfully and rightly convicted for his direct involvement in a violent armed robbery operation which tragically led to the death of a security guard identified as Moses Bankole.
According to the government, Ogbojionu was found guilty and subsequently sentenced to death by the Ogun State High Court on January 14, 2003. His conviction was tied to a robbery incident at an ELF petrol station where a 10 KVA Lister generator was forcefully stolen and a guard was killed in cold blood during the attack.
In 2021, the then Governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun, decided to exercise his executive powers by commuting Ogbojionu’s death sentence to life imprisonment. This move was part of broader efforts to decongest prisons and recognize reformation efforts among inmates.
The Attorney-General further explained that Ogbojionu’s trial was thorough and included testimonies from 11 different prosecution witnesses, all of whom provided strong evidence against him. Additionally, Ogbojionu himself made two separate confessional statements, both of which remained unchallenged throughout the court proceedings. Shockingly, he did not produce any witnesses or present any form of evidence to support his defense during the trial.
Ogungbade highlighted that Ogbojionu’s eventual release in 2025 was not a declaration of his innocence, but rather a result of the Governor’s discretionary application of the prerogative of mercy, which was granted as part of the Democracy Day celebration. This mercy considered various factors such as the nature of the crime, his reported conduct while in prison, and other humanitarian grounds.
He said …
“If, as the viral reports now claim, Segun Ajibade, has truly led a quiet life since his release, it likely suggests genuine remorse for his crimes and his gratitude for his freedom.
“This is the exact opposite of Ogbonna’s intransigence today and could explain why Ogbonna was not considered for release when Segun was.
“Ogbonna’s crime hobbled a business, terrorised Akanni Yusuf, and killed Moses Bankole.
“These victims or their relations remain today and attempts to sanitise Ogbonna’s conduct with falsehoods does fresh injustice to the victims.
“Those who, in a misguided quest for justice, are recreating Ogbonna as a victim will do well to remember Moses Bankole – the true and irredeemable victim of Ogbonna’s crime.
“If Ogbonna is truly reformed, he should silently and gratefully enjoy his freedom and pursue honest pursuits. Presently, his honesty is highly doubtful, and the world is hereby notified.”
The government concluded by calling on the public and media outlets to desist from spreading false narratives aimed at creating sympathy for Ogbojionu, emphasizing that doing so dishonors the memory of the real victims and undermines the justice system. The statement firmly reiterated that while forgiveness and rehabilitation are key components of the justice system, they should not be misinterpreted as an endorsement of innocence when guilt has been lawfully established in court.