Eight prison officials sacked for smuggling drugs into cells

The Controller-General of Prisons, Jaáfaru Ahmed, has approved the recommendation of the Zonal Disciplinary Committee for the dismissal of eight prison officers for professional misconduct.

The eight officers were found guilty of trafficking prohibited items such as mobile phones, Indian hemp and other narcotics into the prison yards for inmates according to statement on Monday in Abuja by the NPS spokesman, Francis Enobore.

A letter signed by the officer in-charge of discipline, CP O. Agun, on behalf of the Controller-General said, IP Thomas Jatau and PA II Mottallem Yari, were dismissed for trafficking mobile phones into the prisons.

The statement explained that AIP Mohammed Jibril, CPA Saleh Dan’Azare, PA II Umar Gusau, PA II Mohammed Ja’Oji, PA 1 Saidu Gusau and PA II Maji Maiku were fired for smuggling Indian hemp and other prohibited items into the prisons.

It added that illegal access to mobile phones and other communication gadgets by prisoners had been of great concern to the management of the Nigeria Prisons Service, noting that various criminal activities had been perpetrated by inmates including facilitating jailbreaks.

“Similarly, apart from the far-reaching health implications of exposing inmates to the use of Indian hemp and other intoxicating substances, the act also compromises discipline and negates inmate reformation thrust of the prison,” it added.

Enobore said the CG appreciated the officers and men of the service, including members of the public for providing useful information that had continued to assist the authorities in identifying unfit individuals within the ranks for appropriate action.

“The public is once again assured of humane custody of prisoners and sustainable peace and calm in all prison formations across the country as efforts are now being strengthened to guarantee adequate reformation and rehabilitation of offenders to become productive citizens on discharge,” he added.