Nigeria Correctional Service destroys 1,167 phones and burns contraband nationwide

The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) destroyed 1,167 mobile phones and other prohibited items seized from inmates across the country over eight months. The items, including SIM cards, earpieces, chargers, and smuggled cash amounting to N2,569,000, were incinerated during an exercise held on Tuesday in Abuja. Controller General Sylvester Nwakuche said the phones—comprising android devices, iPhones, and button phones—were considered contraband and posed serious threats to security and discipline within custodial centres. He stated the cash had been paid into the government treasury in accordance with financial regulations.

Nwakuche said the operation was part of a sustained effort to restore order and uphold the reformative purpose of the nation's correctional system. He noted that the presence of such items enabled criminal activities from within custody and compromised national security. According to him, the recoveries resulted from operations by a newly established Special Crack Team, which conducts intelligence gathering and targeted enforcement. He confirmed that several individuals involved in smuggling had been apprehended and handed over to the Police and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution, with some already facing legal consequences.

The Controller General accused both insiders and outsiders, including visitors and contractors, of colluding to smuggle prohibited items into facilities through food, clothing, and other concealment methods. He warned that anyone caught participating in such acts would face severe consequences. Nwakuche commended the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, for his support and leadership in advancing reforms and strengthening internal security within the service.

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