By Femi Osinusi
A 23-year-old Lagos baker, Olamilekan, who spent more than a year in prison over allegations of robbery and conspiracy, has regained his freedom after the case against him was struck out for lack of prosecution.
Olamilekan was arrested in July 2024 after members of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) allegedly accosted him at Iyana-Ipaja around 10 p.m. on his way home from work. He was accused of belonging to a gang of robbers, beaten, injured with a machete, and handed over to the police despite his pleas of innocence.
He was detained for three days without charge, in violation of Section 35 of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty. On July 10, 2024, he was arraigned at the Ogba Magistrate Court on charges of conspiracy and stealing. Though bail was set at ₦300,000 with two sureties, he was unable to meet the conditions and was remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Correctional Centre.
For 14 months, Olamilekan remained in prison without legal representation and without the prosecution presenting any witnesses in court. His case came to the attention of the Headfort Foundation for Justice on August 28, 2025. A lawyer from the organisation’s Ogba Justice Hub, Blessing Alamu, took up his defence and filed an application for the charges to be struck out for lack of diligent prosecution.
On September 16, 2025, the court granted the application, struck out the case, and ordered Olamilekan’s immediate release.
Headfort Foundation described the case as a stark reminder of how poverty and lack of access to legal representation leave many Nigerians trapped in prolonged detention without trial. The group said it would continue to provide free legal aid to vulnerable individuals who cannot afford justice.
