NCoS Destroys 1,167 Phones, Sanctions 147 Officers Over Smuggling of Contraband
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has 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 this on Tuesday, stating that the items were seized over the past eight months during intensified operations across the country.
He said the recovered contraband included smartphones, SIM cards, chargers, earpieces and other unauthorised materials, noting that their presence within custodial centres posed serious security risks.
According to him, such items facilitate criminal activities from within custody, undermine discipline, and compromise the integrity of correctional operations.
“A total of 1,167 mobile phones—comprising Android devices, iPhones and basic phones—alongside various accessories and other unauthorised materials have been destroyed. These recoveries highlight both the scale of the challenge and the seriousness of our response,” Nwakuche said.
The NCoS boss also revealed that ₦2.57 million recovered during the operations had been remitted to government coffers in line with extant financial regulations.
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In a related development, the Service sanctioned 147 personnel for various forms of misconduct, including involvement in the smuggling of contraband into correctional facilities.
Nwakuche stressed that the disciplinary measures underscored a zero-tolerance stance on corruption and operational compromise within the Service.
“Accountability is no longer negotiable. The Service will not shield any individual who undermines its mandate,” he said, warning officers and men to uphold the highest standards of discipline and vigilance.
He further disclosed that several external collaborators linked to contraband smuggling had been arrested and handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for prosecution, with some already facing trial.
The Controller-General added that a Special Crack Team had been established to strengthen intelligence gathering, surveillance and enforcement, leading to the recovery of the items.
He cautioned members of the public, particularly families and associates of inmates, against attempting to smuggle prohibited items into custodial centres, warning that violators would face severe consequences.
Nwakuche reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to maintaining secure and reform-oriented correctional facilities, while intensifying efforts to eliminate all forms of internal and external compromise.
By PRNigeria
