A Nigerian man has gone viral on social media after writing a heartfelt letter from prison, pleading for assistance following his imprisonment by a creditor over an unpaid debt amounting to ₦1,137,000.
The emotional plea was widely circulated on X (formerly known as Twitter) by a well-known influencer, @Wizarab10, who disclosed that the letter was handed to him by another detainee—who is also an influencer—currently held in custody for a similar debt-related issue.
The contents of the handwritten letter were deeply moving, with the man, identified as Jonathan, expressing his despair and hopelessness regarding his incarceration. A portion of his note read: “My name is Jonathan. I am here because of a debt of ₦1,137,000.”
Reacting to the distressing situation, the influencer strongly criticized the imprisonment of individuals due to debt, emphasizing that such cases should be treated as civil disputes rather than criminal offenses. He stated: “Nobody should be in prison over a debt. It is not a criminal offense. I have spoken to ###, and we will be taking it up. Imagine rotting in prison just because you’re poor. Thank you for your unwavering faith and support 🙏🏾.”
As the case continued to gain widespread attention, a legal practitioner also weighed in on the matter, vowing to take legal steps to address the wrongful detention. The lawyer condemned the actions of both the creditor and the authorities, stating: “It’s quite sad. Beyond securing his release, we shall consider suing the creditor and the police. The law is clear—debt recovery cases are civil matters, not criminal. The police are not debt collectors. Anyone who reports such cases to the police will also be liable for damages.”
The case has since sparked widespread debate, drawing significant reactions from social media users who took to the comment section to express their concerns, opinions, and possible solutions.
See some reactions below:
@ROS1609: “Hmm! Baba, it will be shocking to you that it is not just debt that will be in his charge file. My late brother was a direct victim of this; I know what we went through to ensure it all ended at Panti.”
@ibnurusheed: “I think helping him pay the debt, if we can afford to, is the best solution & will allow everything to settle. Owing someone ₦1.3 million in this economy can drive a person to the brink of madness. Even if he repays now, its value is already diminished. The lender also deserves pity o.”
@Mnl_luckyprince: “I am 90% certain that it was a lawyer who wrote a petition to the police against the inmate for “OBTAINING UNDER FALSE PRETENSE”. I have seen it happen many times.”
@EmwhyCypher: “When he is out, we should make him an ambassador to talk to people who MIS-yarn on Twitter. Your post will deny you of so many opportunities, who knows, maybe even freedom in the future. I have met people that are richer than my generation on Twitter. Twitter made us friends. No jokes.”
@EpiEpifanio1: “The police might have changed the case title to something else, making it more implicating and indicting. May we never be victims of negative circumstances, inshallah.”
@AlabiAlapa2003: “There is a need to educate the police on the law of tort. This will help differentiate crime from civil cases. I don’t think the police educate their men on criminal and civil laws.”
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