Veteran Nollywood actor Nkem Owoh has opened up on the painful loss of his brother, Bartholomew Owoh, who was executed during General Muhammadu Buhari’s military regime in 1985, describing the experience as deeply traumatic.

The actor shared the emotional account in an old interview with Arise News TV, where he reflected on the circumstances surrounding his brother’s death.

What happened

Bartholomew Owoh was among three young Nigerians executed by firing squad over drug-related offences, despite the punishment not carrying the death penalty at the time the offence was committed.

Nkem Owoh said the most troubling aspect was the retroactive application of a military decree, which altered the timeline and made his brother eligible for execution.

“Why would it be shifted back to include people who didn’t commit the offence before the decree? It was a personal thing to me,” he said.

Personal pain and memories

The actor revealed that he was working at Anambra Television when the execution took place and was overwhelmed with grief.

He described his late brother as someone he shared a close bond with, making the loss even more difficult to process.

Background to the execution

The incident occurred during Buhari’s time as Nigeria’s military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985.

The executions sparked widespread controversy at the time, particularly over the use of retroactive laws to impose capital punishment.

Context

Former President Muhammadu Buhari, who later returned as a civilian leader, died on July 13, 2025, at the age of 82 in London and was buried in Daura, Katsina State.

Nkem Owoh’s remarks have renewed attention on one of the most debated moments of Nigeria’s military era.