Nigerian rapper Ice Prince opens up about his six-day stay at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in 2022, describing the harrowing experience as life-changing, with no preferential treatment despite his celebrity status.
Nigerian rapper and singer Panshak Zamani, popularly known as Ice Prince, has spoken candidly about his time at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos, an experience he described as “horrible” and one he wouldn’t wish on his worst enemy.
The rapper spent six days in the prison in September 2022 after being remanded on allegations of assaulting a police officer. Reflecting on the ordeal in a recent interview, Ice Prince dismissed the allegations as a misunderstanding, claiming he was joking with the officer when he drove off during a stop-and-search operation.
He shed light on his experience behind bars, emphasizing the lack of preferential treatment despite his celebrity status. “It’s prison, not a police cell, so there was no preferential treatment. I’ve seen public figures brag after coming out of police cells, but prison is a different world entirely. It’s a place I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” he said.
The rapper described the prison as “a different institution of higher learning,” noting the bonds he formed with fellow inmates despite the harsh environment. “I made friends in there. We hung out and chatted. But the experience was far from good. You have to be careful out there because mistakes can lead you to prison. There are so many innocent people in there.”
Ice Prince also expressed gratitude for having left the ordeal behind, using the opportunity to warn others about the realities of incarceration.
