Abuja: The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has destroyed large confiscated items from various custodial centres across the nation. Speaking during the destruction exercise in Abuja, the Controller General, NCoS, Sylvester Nwakuche, stated that the prohibited items, which include phones and other electronic devices, were considered contraband for inmates in custody.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Nwakuche emphasized that the exercise was not merely about the destruction of contraband but was a clear statement of resolve that the NCoS would decisively confront and eliminate all threats to the security, order, and integrity of the custodial centres. He highlighted that the exercise was part of a sustained effort to restore order and reinforce the true purpose of the nation’s custodial system, which includes reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration.
Nwakuche added that every item destroyed represented a step toward a more secure and credible correctional system. He revealed that prohibited items recovered from custodial centres across the country within the last eight months included mobile phones, SIM cards, and other unauthorized materials, which compromise security and disrupt discipline. A total of 1,167 mobile phones, comprising android devices, iPhones, and button phones, alongside various earpieces, chargers, and other unauthorized materials, were destroyed. Additionally, smuggled and trafficked cash totaling N2,569,000 confiscated from inmates during these operations was duly paid into the appropriate government treasury.
The NCoS head noted that the problem of illicit drug trafficking and prohibited items was not sustained by internal actors alone, mentioning the involvement of individuals outside the custodial centres who smuggle prohibited items through concealment in food, clothing, and other means. Nwakuche warned that anyone engaging in the smuggling of contraband into the facilities would face severe consequences. He explained that several individuals have already been apprehended and handed over to law enforcement agencies, including the Police and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for prosecution.
To address the threat, the NCoS established a dedicated Special Crack Team to intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance, and targeted enforcement. Nwakuche commended the professionalism and commitment of this team, which has been supported by collaboration with other security agencies. He expressed appreciation to the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his leadership and consistent support to the service, noting that the minister’s commitment to strengthening internal security and advancing reforms had been instrumental to the progress the service had made.
Nwakuche concluded by extending gratitude to sister security agencies, the media, and all stakeholders for their continued support, affirming the NCoS’s commitment to building a correctional service anchored on discipline, transparency, and public trust.