NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s leading online newspaper. Published by Africa’s international award-winning journalist, Mr. Isaac Umunna, NEWS EXPRESS is Nigeria’s first truly professional online daily newspaper. It is published from Lagos, Nigeria’s economic and media hub, and has a provision for occasional special print editions. Thanks to our vast network of sources and dedicated team of professional journalists and contributors spread across Nigeria and overseas, NEWS EXPRESS has become synonymous with newsbreaks and exclusive stories from around the world.
TikTok content creator, Olaoluwa Segun
A TikTok content creator, Olaoluwa Segun, has recounted the “worst experience” of his life after spending two days in police custody over a false claim that Nollywood actress Dayo Amusa was HIV positive.
Segun, known online as unofficial_olas001, recounted this in a video posted to his TikTok page on Tuesday.
He told viewers his two days in custody were traumatic, adding the ordeal came on top of the recent death of his mother.
“I spent two days locked up in Yaba Panti. Aside from losing my mum, that was the worst experience of my life,” the content creator said.
His detention at the Yaba Panti police station followed a viral post in July in which he named Amusa among five actors he alleged were living with HIV.
The actress immediately denied the allegation, saying the clip recycled a 2019 message in which she had disclosed her HIV-negative status to encourage testing.
At the time, she said, “Why do content creators and bloggers post unverified information? I have families and friends who read all these lies. He will be my scapegoat and serve as a lesson to others. I am HIV negative.”
Explaining his experience further, he said the prison food is horrible.
“They bring horrible food. These women put zero effort into that food. It’s because they know that in detention, you don’t have any choice. Snacks, biscuits, bread, Pepsi, or Coke are the only foods that you are allowed to buy.”
To eat, he said, “I’ll put the rice in my mouth, drink water, swallow it, because it’s too horrible to even chew.”
“So if you have money, you eat; if you don’t, you won’t eat. If you come alone and you didn’t bring food or money, you won’t chop.
He, however, said officials charge newcomers a voluntary levy of N10,000 to cater for detainees without money.
“The government of the cell does is that every alleged person is taxed 10,000 naira as they bring new alleged persons every day. Alejo is like new people that they detain that day, so every day they are detaining people, right? So every new alejo will be taxed 10,000 naira. It’s not compulsory.
“It’s from all those monies, those taxes that they are getting from alleged persons every time—that’s what they used to use to feed the general populace.”
He talked about notions of sexual abuse in correctional centres.
“We don’t do that kind of thing, you know. Plus, again, it’s an open cell, like I said—it’s an open cell; there’s a camera there, and we are like 60 inside ourselves. So where you want to go and do something.”
On Monday, Amusa posted a video on her Instagram page announcing her decision to forgive Segun. She said her change of heart followed learning that he had recently lost his mother, meeting his relatives, and realising he is only 27 years old.
“I am making this video regarding the pending issue about myself and a content creator who defamed my character and put out wrong information about my HIV status, which has gone viral and has had people have different impressions and opinions about me.”
Amusa said. “I did promise to make him a scapegoat, which I did, but along the line I realised he just lost his mum. I got to realise he is just a 27-year-old boy. I also got to meet his relatives, including his uncle.”
Amusa shared a clip of Segun apologising, in which he said, “I want to apologise to her fans, I’m very sorry about that. Now we’re friends.”
In her caption, Amusa thanked her supporters, writing, “Case closed. To err is human, to forgive is divine. Making mistakes is a natural and inherent part of being human, they say. Let’s be guided.”
He added, “I want to thank Aunty Dayo Amusa for forgiving me. If not that she changed her mind and forgave me, I would have been there for a long time. I don’t pray to ever sleep in a cell again.”
The Incident has sparked discussions online about the consequences of spreading unverified information on social media. (The PUNCH)