Rita Odafe
Abuse and Fraud Inside Warri’s Okere Prison
Several individuals have come forward with shocking claims of scams, blackmail, and wrongdoing involving inmates at the Okere Prison in Warri, Delta State.
These testimonials highlight worrying issues including prisoners having access to mobile devices, bank accounts, and private visitation, which raise questions about the prison’s management and security.
A woman, who documented her distressing experience to SaharaReporters, described how she unwittingly fell for an inmate, Perez Ekiyor, whom she met on Facebook in 2019, thinking he was a free man.
As they maintained contact through messaging and video calls, she grew attached to him, even creating a bank account under her name for his use and registering an SMS card with her details.
Everything changed when she noticed unusually large deposits in the account—sums far greater than she ever expected. Fearing she was part of a scam, she transferred the funds and cut off all communication.
In retaliation, the inmate published private messages and explicit images online, causing her significant emotional turmoil and embarrassment.
Reflecting on her experience, she stated it felt as if she were mesmerized. “It was only after I started attending church that I realized what was happening,” she shared.
Her recounting: “In 2019, I connected with a man on Facebook, completely unaware he was in Okere Prison.
“We exchanged intimate chats and shared photos. I even opened my account for him and got a phone line. He paid guards for private visits—things got out of hand fast.”
“One day, I discovered shocking amounts in the account. After moving the money, I ended things and blocked him, but he retaliated by sharing our intimate conversations online. It was a nightmare. Now, I steer clear of online dating and inmates.
“The situation in that prison is dire. How can a prisoner receive ₦500,000 in a student account?” she questioned, emphasizing her harrowing tale. “Truth came only when I found clarity through church. I felt controlled. Thank God I was spared. The inmate’s name is Perez Ekiyor,” she concluded.
Another woman almost fell victim to a similar situation in 2023. She met a man who claimed to be working in Ibadan via Facebook. After three months of chatting, he asked her to bring food to him in Warri.
However, on the night of their meeting, he stopped responding, leading her to receive a call from someone identifying as his brother, who claimed the man was arrested and required funds for legal fees.
Suspicious, she asked to visit him in prison. A stroke of luck came when a guard, who recognized her, warned her to avoid the man, confirming he had been incarcerated since 2020 and was part of a group notorious for scams.
Describing her narrow escape, she recounted: “I almost fell for their trap in 2023, thanks to the guard who was my sister’s friend.
“The man had claimed to work in Ibadan. After I brought food, he would later ask for money for a supposed legal fee due to iTunes gift cards that led to his arrest.
“His account of events seemed fishy, so I planned to confront him in person. But then, a prison guard recognized me and warned that the man had been in prison for years—their scams run deep.”
“That was my experience. I had to block all his numbers as he kept calling from different ones,” she concluded.
Previously reported incidents included a robbery on January 3, 2025, where thieves stole valuables and orchestrated the transfer of N4 million to an online bank account.
The investigation faced delays until recent geo-analysis led them to the Delta State area, where the account holder—a woman claimed she acted unknowingly under instructions from her online boyfriend—was arrested.
As authorities delved deeper, they established connections to inmates at the Warri Correctional Facility, who had been orchestrating the robbery.
Although initial resistance from prison officials occurred, police eventually apprehended one inmate willing to confess, revealing how these operations unfolded.
***
Source: SaharaReporters
