A Lagos-based legal team announced the release of a man who had been wrongfully detained at Ikoyi Correctional Centre for more than three years after being acquitted of all charges.
The organisation, Citizen Gavel, said its lawyers located the inmate during a routine prison decongestion visit last year and subsequently took up his case, securing his freedom following the court’s decision.
The case dates back to 2023, when the man resigned from his job after refusing to continue working without pay. His former employer later accused him of stealing inverter batteries allegedly valued at over ₦3 million, leading to his arrest and prolonged detention without a formal investigation, Citizen Gavel reported.
Citizen Gavel said the freed man is the sixth person this year whose team has helped release after being wrongfully detained on accusations of stealing and conspiracy. The organisation described the pattern of arrests as often driven by suspicion, retaliatory allegations, or the influence of social status rather than evidence.
In a statement, Citizen Gavel pledged to continue speaking out against arrests, detentions, and prosecutions based solely on unverified claims. “May justice always prevail,” the group added, underscoring its commitment to pro bono legal work and prison decongestion efforts
