An old Lagos police parade video featuring a suspected criminal asking authorities to kill him rather than return him to prison has resurfaced on social media, reigniting debate over Nigeria’s correctional system, prison rehabilitation and the treatment of ex-convicts.
The roughly 90-second video was reposted on X on Monday by entertainment blogger Oyindamola, popularly known as @dammiedammie35. The footage shows a young man in police custody telling officers that the government should “kpa” him — a slang expression for killing him — rather than send him back to prison because he feared he would become a more hardened criminal.
Key Highlights
- An old Lagos police parade video has resurfaced on X and gone viral.
- The man in the footage was identified in 2020 reports as Adeniyi Ajayi, popularly known as Ogologo.
- Ajayi reportedly said he became more hardened after a previous prison sentence.
- The resurfaced video has sparked debate over Nigeria’s prison rehabilitation system.
- Claims about Ajayi’s current whereabouts have not been independently confirmed.
- Reports said Ajayi was later among inmates who escaped custody during the #EndSARS protests.
Old Lagos Police Parade Video Resurfaces
The video was originally recorded during a Lagos State Police Command parade in 2020 but resurfaced on X on Monday.
The social media post described the man as a 25-year-old suspect, although contemporary reports from 2020 identified him as Adeniyi Ajayi, also known as Ogologo, and reported his age at the time as about 27.
The resurfaced post attracted significant engagement, with thousands of views and likes within hours.
However, several users quickly pointed out that the footage was not recent and urged others not to mistake the old police parade for a current arrest.
Who Is Adeniyi Ajayi, Also Known As Ogologo?
Contemporary reports identified Ajayi as an alleged ex-convict who was paraded by the Lagos State Police Command under then-Commissioner of Police Hakeem Odumosu in July 2020.
Police and media reports at the time said he was arrested at a hotel in Ijora Badia after a phone allegedly stolen during a robbery was tracked to his location.
He was accused of participating in night robberies and was also accused of sexual assaults. Those allegations were made during the 2020 police investigation and should be distinguished from any subsequent judicial determination of guilt.
During the parade, Ajayi reportedly said he had previously spent time in prison and feared that another prison term would make him a more hardened criminal.
He reportedly told journalists that he would rather die than return to prison because of his experience while incarcerated.
Video Sparks Debate Over Nigerian Correctional Centres
The resurfaced footage has triggered renewed criticism and discussion about the effectiveness of Nigeria’s correctional system.
Some social media users argued that the man’s comments illustrated the gap between the stated purpose of correctional centres and the experiences of some inmates.
Nigeria officially refers to its prisons as correctional centres, reflecting the stated emphasis on rehabilitation and reintegration.
However, the reaction to the video has raised questions about whether inmates receive adequate rehabilitation, vocational training, psychological support and opportunities for reintegration after completing their sentences.
Social Media Users Question What Happened To Ajayi
Another major issue surrounding the resurfaced video is Ajayi’s current whereabouts.
Several X users claimed that Ajayi is now out of custody and doing well, while others questioned whether he had been rearrested or what happened to him after the 2020 police parade.
Those claims could not be independently verified from the information available under the viral post.
Contemporary reports later stated that Ajayi escaped custody during the #EndSARS protests after being remanded.
His present status, however, was not established by the recent social-media discussion.
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Viral Video Reignites Prison Rehabilitation Debate
The discussion has moved beyond Ajayi himself to broader concerns about the Nigerian criminal justice system.
Some users argued that the video demonstrated how prison environments can potentially expose inmates to hardened criminal networks rather than successfully rehabilitating them.
Others focused on the difficulties former inmates face after release, including social stigma, unemployment and rejection by communities and potential employers.
For some commentators, the issue is therefore not simply whether a suspect should be punished, but whether the justice system provides a realistic path for offenders to reform and return to society.
Calls For Better Reintegration Of Ex-Convicts
The reaction to the old video has also highlighted the challenges faced by former inmates after completing their sentences.
Social exclusion can make it difficult for ex-convicts to find employment, rebuild relationships and establish stable lives.
Some users argued that without effective reintegration programmes, people who have served their sentences may struggle to avoid returning to crime.
The debate has consequently expanded from the original police footage to questions about rehabilitation, vocational training, mental-health support, employment opportunities and community acceptance.
Old Video, New Debate
The resurfacing of the Lagos police parade video does not establish what happened to Ajayi after his reported escape, nor does it confirm claims being made about his present circumstances on social media.
What the footage has done, however, is revive a longstanding debate over whether Nigeria’s correctional system adequately rehabilitates offenders and prepares them for life after incarceration.
Six years after the original police parade, the video continues to raise the same difficult question: Are Nigerian correctional centres successfully reforming offenders, or can prison experience sometimes make rehabilitation more difficult?
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