The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has destroyed 1,167 mobile phones and other prohibited items confiscated from custodial centres nationwide as part of a renewed crackdown on contraband.
The Controller-General of the NCoS, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, supervised the destruction on Monday, describing it as “a clear statement of resolve” to eliminate threats to safety and order within correctional facilities.
The items, recovered over the past eight months through coordinated search operations, included Android phones, iPhones, button phones, SIM cards, earpieces, chargers, and other unauthorised materials. In addition, N2.57 million in smuggled cash was recovered and remitted to the government treasury in line with financial regulations.
“These recoveries underscore both the scale of the challenge and the seriousness of our response,” Nwakuche said while addressing officers, stakeholders, and the media.
The Controller-General warned that contraband trafficking cannot occur without internal compromise and reaffirmed the Service’s zero-tolerance policy on indiscipline. He said 147 personnel had already been sanctioned for misconduct related to the smuggling of prohibited items, stressing that any officer found culpable would face prosecution.
He also cautioned external collaborators, noting that some individuals attempt to smuggle items into facilities by concealing them in food, clothing, and other materials. “Anyone involved in smuggling contraband into our custodial centres, whether as a visitor, contractor, or collaborator, will face severe consequences,” he said. Several offenders have been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for prosecution.
To strengthen enforcement, the Service has set up a dedicated Special Crack Team to intensify intelligence gathering, surveillance, and targeted operations across custodial centres nationwide.
Nwakuche commended officers for their professionalism and vigilance, and pledged to deploy modern surveillance technologies and deepen inter-agency collaboration as part of broader reforms to restore order in prisons.
He added that the crackdown supports the Service’s core mandate of reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration, warning that contraband undermines these objectives by enabling criminal networks and fueling insecurity within facilities.
The NCoS assured the public of its commitment to maintaining high standards of security, accountability, and transparency in line with its role in safeguarding national security.
