LAGOS, Nigeria (CHATNEWSTV) — Afrobeats star and rapper Panshak Zamani, better known as Ice Prince, has opened up about the challenges he faced during his six-day stint at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos in September 2022.
The ‘Oleku’ hitmaker was remanded after being arraigned on charges of assault, obstruction, and abduction of a police officer following an alleged incident during a stop-and-search operation.
Speaking about the ordeal, Ice Prince described the experience as “horrible,” emphasizing that he was treated like every other inmate without special privileges.
“I spent six days in jail. I didn’t get preferential treatment. It’s a prison, so there was no preferential treatment,” Ice Prince said. “I have seen a lot of celebrities and public figures who went to police cells come out to brag as if they went through some sh*t. If you’ve never been to prison, you ain’t seen it yet.”
Reflecting on his time behind bars, he noted the emotional and social toll of incarceration, adding that the prison environment was unlike anything he had experienced.
“It’s a different world. I don’t pray for my worst enemy to experience it. You have to be careful out there because mistakes can take you there. There are so many innocent people in there. It wasn’t a good experience,” he said.
Despite the grim conditions, the rapper acknowledged the connections he made with fellow inmates, calling prison “a different institution of higher learning.”
“I made friends in there. We hung out and chatted,” he said. “It’s a place that teaches you lessons in ways you can’t imagine.”
Ice Prince attributed his arrest to a misunderstanding, explaining that he was joking with the officer when he drove off during the stop-and-search operation.
“Whatever story you were told is not what happened. The case is over now, so I can talk about it,” he said, though he refrained from providing further details about the incident.
