 has destroyed 1,167 confiscated mobile phones and other banned items, signaling a tougher nationwide){kind=link}
In a sweeping show of force against illicit activities behind bars, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has destroyed 1,167 confiscated mobile phones and other banned items, signaling a tougher nationwide crackdown on contraband in custodial centres.
The Controller-General, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, who presided over the exercise, described it as a “clear statement of resolve” to stamp out threats to security, discipline, and institutional integrity across correctional facilities.
The destroyed items—recovered over eight months of coordinated search operations—include smartphones, button phones, SIM cards, chargers, and earpieces. In a related move, the Service also remitted ₦2.57 million in smuggled cash recovered from inmates into government coffers, in line with financial regulations.
Nwakuche did not mince words, warning that contraband trafficking often thrives on insider compromise. He disclosed that 147 personnel have already been sanctioned for misconduct linked to smuggling, vowing that any officer found culpable would face the full weight of the law.
Casting the net wider, the NCoS boss also warned external collaborators—visitors, contractors, and other accomplices—against attempting to sneak prohibited items into facilities, noting that several offenders have already been arrested and handed over to security agencies for prosecution.
As part of intensified enforcement, the Service has launched a Special Crack Team to boost intelligence gathering, surveillance, and targeted operations nationwide.
While commending vigilant officers, Nwakuche reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to modern surveillance systems, stronger inter-agency collaboration, and reforms aimed at restoring order within custodial centres.
He stressed that the crackdown is crucial to the core mandate of corrections—reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration—warning that contraband fuels criminal networks and undermines national security.
The NCoS assured Nigerians that it remains steadfast in upholding transparency, accountability, and safety across all custodial facilities.
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