Lagos, Nigeria – A convicted armed robber serving a 21-year sentence was recently caught attempting to obtain an international passport while still incarcerated at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre, sparking disciplinary action and a broader investigation into prison oversight.
The inmate, identified as Haruna Ayo, had been sentenced to life imprisonment for armed robbery, later reduced to a 21-year term. He is scheduled for release on October 11, 2025.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 19, when Ayo was taken to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in FESTAC Town under suspicious circumstances. According to reports, Ayo was among five inmates assigned menial duties at the residence of the facility’s officer-in-charge. During the outing, a junior officer, allegedly acting on orders from a superior, instructed the supervising warder to release Ayo into his custody.
Ayo was then escorted to the NIS office, where his presence aroused suspicion. An immigration source revealed:
“While waiting to be attended to, the warder escorting him became impatient and said, ‘I need to take him back to the cell.’ That raised eyebrows immediately. Immigration officers detained both the inmate and the officer and alerted the authorities.”
The matter was promptly reported to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) Lagos Command at Alagbon, leading to the suspension of two prison officials.
In a statement issued Saturday, NCoS spokesperson Umar Abubakar confirmed the suspension, describing the incident as a breach of protocol uncovered through NIS’s automated passport system and internal monitoring reforms.
“Such actions contradict established rules and procedures of the NCoS and are both unacceptable and impermissible,” he said.
Abubakar praised the inter-agency cooperation that exposed the misconduct and emphasized the commitment of the Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, to discipline and accountability.
“Any personnel found engaging in misconduct, corruption, or sabotage will be shown the way out of the system,” he warned.
The Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), chaired by Interior Minister Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, has begun a full investigation into the case.
