The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) on Tuesday publicly destroyed 1,167 mobile phones and other prohibited items recovered from custodial centres nationwide, in a renewed crackdown on illicit activities within correctional facilities.
Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, disclosed that the items were seized over the past eight months during coordinated enforcement operations across various custodial centres. The confiscated materials included smartphones, iPhones, button phones, SIM cards, chargers, earpieces, and other unauthorised items.
He stressed that the presence of such devices undermines security and discipline within correctional facilities and enables inmates to sustain criminal activities behind bars.
“Their presence within our facilities is unacceptable. They compromise security, disrupt discipline, and create channels through which criminal activities are sustained from within custody,” he said.
Nwakuche confirmed that a total of 1,167 mobile phones were destroyed as part of the exercise, alongside other prohibited items. He added that ₦2.57 million recovered during operations had been remitted into government coffers in line with financial regulations.
He also revealed that 147 correctional personnel have been sanctioned for various forms of misconduct, including involvement in smuggling contraband into custodial centres.
“Accountability is no longer negotiable. The Service will not shield anyone who undermines its mandate,” he stated, warning officers that any compromise would attract strict disciplinary action.
According to him, several external collaborators linked to smuggling networks have been arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution, with some already facing trial.
He further disclosed the establishment of a Special Crack Team to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance, and enforcement, which contributed significantly to the recent seizures.
Nwakuche warned members of the public, inmates’ families, and other stakeholders against attempting to smuggle prohibited items into custodial facilities, stressing that such acts pose a serious threat to national security and justice administration.
“Do not attempt to breach our systems or influence our personnel. The consequences will be severe,” he warned.