Kayode Dada, a 60-year-old former Assistant Inspector of Prisons, has reached out for assistance from the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, regarding the non-payment of his salary for the past ten years. Dada, who was convicted of murder in 2006, received a state pardon in 2018 from former Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola.
Sharing his story with our correspondent, Dada, a resident of Orororuwo in the Boripe Local Government Area of Osun State, detailed his long and arduous journey. He was employed by the Nigeria Prison Service (now the Nigeria Correctional Service) in November 1990, with service number S/N-31665 and file number 33458, and was initially posted to the Ilesa Prison, now known as Ilesha Custodial Centre.
Dada’s troubles began in 1996 when he was arrested for a murder charge stemming from a fight. His trial lasted a decade, culminating in a death sentence handed down by an Osogbo High Court in 2006. He was later transferred to a correctional facility in Abeokuta, where his death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment in 2008 by then-Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola.
After spending a total of 10 years awaiting trial and an additional 12 years on death row, Dada was granted clemency in 2018. However, he claims that during his time under trial, the prison service indicated he would receive half salary, but he never received any payment until his death sentence was issued.
“After regaining my freedom, I have been struggling to obtain what is owed to me by the Federal Government, but to no avail,” Dada lamented. “I was in Abuja last year, where they collected all my personal information, including bank details, and promised to follow up. Almost a year has passed, and I have yet to hear anything.”
Since his release, Dada has married and has two children. He has been working as a security guard to support his family but emphasizes that the unpaid salary is crucial for his complete reintegration into society.
He is now appealing to President Bola Tinubu, Minister of Interior Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, and Controller-General of Correctional Service Haliru Nababa to show him compassion and ensure he receives the funds owed to him.
“I need this money to support myself and my family as I work to rebuild my life,” Dada pleaded.