Nigerian rapper and singer Ice Prince, born Panshak Zamani, has opened up about his difficult experience spending six days at the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos.

In September 2022, the musician was remanded following allegations of assaulting a police officer.

Ice Prince described his time in the facility as “horrible,” noting that he was treated like every other inmate and did not receive any preferential treatment.

Despite the challenging environment, he reflected on the bonds he formed with fellow inmates, referring to prison as “a different institution of higher learning.”

The rapper’s candid revelations highlight the emotional and social challenges of incarceration, even for public figures.

He said: “Whatever story you were told is not what happened. The case is over now, so I can talk about it. I spent six days in jail. I didn’t get preferential treatment. It’s a prison, so there was no preferential treatment. I’m not talking about a police cell.

“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 sht. If you’ve never been to prison, you ain’t seen it yet. I can’t explain it. 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.

“But I made friends in there. We hung out and chatted. It’s a different institution of higher learning.”

Ice Prince claimed that his arrest was a misunderstanding, stating that he was joking with the police officer when he drove off during a stop-and-search operation.