26-year-old jailed for sending ‘resignation text’ to ex-boss regains freedom

Nicholas Peter, a 26-year-old photographer, has regained freedom after spending 10 months in jail.

In a post on X on Tuesday, Funke Adeoye, executive director of Hope Behind Bars Africa, said Peter was arrested and jailed in October 2023 on the orders of Oluwole Mike, his former boss.

The photographer was said to have sent a text message to Mike, resigning from his position as a photographer at Pesther Photostudio in Abuja.

Mike is the owner of Pesther Photostudio and Publisher of One Nigeria Television.

What began as a simple resignation quickly turned into a nightmare for Peter, leading to a 10-month incarceration.

Mike was said to have been furious over the content of the text message and had Peter arrested.

Adeoye said after two days in detention, Peter was granted N50,000 bail. Unable to afford the amount, he remained in jail since then.

She added that Peter was released two weeks ago when Hope Behind Bars facilitated the payment of the bail to secure his release.

“This is Nicholas. A 26-year-old graduate, photographer & Keyboardist,” the post reads.

“Sometime in October 2023, Nicholas sent a text message to his boss resigning his role as a photographer in the photo studio.

“His boss was angry at the content of the text message & got him arrested.

“From spending 2 days in police detention, he ended up being charged for ‘intentional insult’, locked up & up in a room with 189 other cell mates at a prison in Keffi because he could not afford the bail sum initially N100,000 & later N50,000.

“He remained there even after the said boss, a politician in the current administration & owner of a popular photography studio in FCT wrote a letter to the court withdrawing the charge.

“Two weeks ago, someone hinted @hopebehindbar about Nicholas plight and @thehassanian reached out to a friend of his who donated N50,000 anonymously.

“The first picture is a picture of Nicholas 2 months before prison, second is a picture of him when we got him out last week and the third is a picture of him at @hopebehindbar office today.”

This is Nicholas. A 26 year old graduate, photographer & Keyboardist.

Sometime in October 2023, Nicholas sent a text message to his boss resigning his role as a photographer in the photo studio.

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His boss was angry at the content of the text message & got him arrested.

From… https://t.co/0ltSXLUG0W pic.twitter.com/MoCAOb42Yh

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— Funke Adeoye (@thefunkeadeoye) August 27, 2024