NCoS Smashes Contraband Network, Destroys 1,167 Phones, Cracks Down on Corrupt Officers Nationwide
By Onwe Wisdom, Pan Afric Reporters
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has intensified its nationwide clampdown on contraband in custodial centres, destroying 1,167 confiscated mobile phones and sanctioning dozens of personnel in a sweeping effort to reinforce security and institutional discipline.
The development was contained in a press release issued by the Nigerian Correctional Service and signed by its Service Public Relations Officer, CSC Jane Osuji.
Presiding over the destruction exercise, Controller-General of NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, described the move as a decisive step to eliminate threats within correctional facilities and restore integrity across the system.
“A total of 1,167 mobile phones, comprising Android devices, iPhones, and button phones, alongside other prohibited items are being destroyed today,” Nwakuche stated, adding that ₦2,569,000 recovered as smuggled cash from inmates had been remitted to the appropriate government treasury.
The seized items, which also included SIM cards, chargers, and earpieces, were recovered during coordinated search operations carried out over the past eight months in compliance with existing laws and operational guidelines.
Nwakuche stressed that the scale of the recoveries highlights both the depth of the challenge and the seriousness of the Service’s response. He warned that internal compromise remains a major enabler of contraband smuggling.
“Any officer who aids, ignores, or facilitates the smuggling of prohibited items is in direct violation of their oath and a threat to the integrity of this Service. Anyone found culpable will face the full weight of the law,” he warned.
He disclosed that 147 personnel have already been sanctioned for various misconducts linked to contraband trafficking, underscoring the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscipline.
The Controller-General also raised concerns about the role of external collaborators, noting that contraband is often smuggled through concealed means such as food and clothing.
“Let me be unequivocal: anyone involved in smuggling contraband into our custodial centres, whether as a visitor, contractor, or collaborator, will face severe consequences,” he said, describing such acts as threats to national security and justice administration.
According to him, several offenders have been apprehended and handed over to law enforcement agencies, including the police and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), for prosecution.
As part of strengthened enforcement measures, Nwakuche announced the establishment of a Special Crack Team tasked with boosting intelligence gathering, surveillance, and targeted operations across the country.
He commended officers involved in the operations for their vigilance and professionalism, while reaffirming the Service’s commitment to deploying modern surveillance technologies and enhancing inter-agency collaboration.
The Controller-General emphasized that the crackdown aligns with the core mandate of the Service—reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration—warning that the presence of contraband undermines these objectives by enabling criminal networks within custodial facilities.
The Nigerian Correctional Service reiterated its commitment to maintaining high standards of security, transparency, and accountability as it continues efforts to safeguard the nation’s correctional system.
