The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has destroyed 1,167 confiscated mobile phones and other prohibited items recovered from custodial centres across the country, in what officials described as a renewed crackdown on contraband and internal compromise within the prison system.
The exercise was supervised by the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, MFR, mni, who said the action underscores the Service’s determination to strengthen security and discipline across all custodial facilities nationwide.
Speaking during the exercise, Nwakuche described the destruction as a “clear statement of resolve” to rid correctional centres of illegal items that threaten institutional integrity.
“A total of 1,167 mobile phones, comprising Android devices, iPhones, and button phones, alongside other prohibited items are being destroyed today,” he said.
“In addition, the sum of ₦2,569,000, recovered as smuggled cash from inmates, has been remitted to the appropriate government treasury in line with extant financial regulations. These recoveries underscore both the scale of the challenge and the seriousness of our response,” he added.
The confiscated items, recovered over the past eight months through coordinated search operations, also include SIM cards, earpieces, chargers, and other unauthorized materials seized from inmates across various custodial centres.
Nwakuche warned that the smuggling of contraband cannot thrive without internal compromise, stressing that officers found culpable will face strict disciplinary action.
“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 misconduct linked to contraband trafficking, reinforcing what he described as the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscipline.
The Controller-General also raised concerns over external collaborators who attempt to smuggle illegal items into custodial centres through concealment in food, clothing, and other means.
“Let me be unequivocal: anyone involved in smuggling contraband into our custodial centres, whether as a visitor, contractor, or collaborator, will face severe consequences. These are not minor infractions but deliberate acts that undermine national security and the administration of justice,” he said.
According to him, several suspects have already been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution.
He further announced the creation of a Special Crack Team tasked with strengthening intelligence gathering, surveillance, and coordinated nationwide operations aimed at curbing contraband circulation in prisons.
Nwakuche said the reforms are part of broader efforts to reinforce rehabilitation and reformation within correctional centres, warning that contraband undermines efforts to reintegrate inmates into society and fuels criminal networks behind bars.
The Service Public Relations Officer, CSC Jane Osuji, signed the statement, reaffirming the agency’s commitment to accountability, transparency, and improved security across all custodial facilities in Nigeria.
