The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has stepped up its crackdown on contraband at the Ibara Custodial Centre in Ogun State after officials intercepted a woman allegedly attempting to deliver alcohol to an inmate.
The woman, identified as Shobowale Balikis, was arrested at about 3:50pm on Saturday during screening at the custodial centre.
The Ogun State Command of the NCoS said Balikis allegedly concealed alcohol in a bottled water pack and attempted to pass it off as drinking water meant for an inmate.
The substance was detected before it could reach the inmate population, after which Balikis was handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Odukoya, said the interception demonstrated the vigilance of correctional officials in preventing prohibited items from entering the facility.
The Controller of Corrections in Ogun State, Abioye Adesina, said the command maintained a zero-tolerance policy towards the smuggling of contraband into custodial centres.
The latest arrest comes less than a month after another woman, Iyabo Sowunmi, was arrested at the same Ibara facility over an alleged attempt to smuggle a suspected psychoactive substance to her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is on death row.
Sowunmi was arrested on August 28 during routine screening at the facility’s main entrance after the substance, suspected to be Colos, was allegedly found concealed in a sachet of beverage powder.
She was subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for investigation and prosecution.
The correctional service said it would continue to strengthen screening and security measures to prevent contraband from entering its facilities and maintain order within custodial centres.
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