Officials of the Nigerian Prisons Services (NPS) have smashed a three-man drug gang attempting to circulate and sell Indian hemp, also known as cannabis, to inmates of the Ikoyi Prisons facility.
Two of them were arrested by NPS officials, including Ikuomola Abolade, 22, who was arrested while trying to escape from the scene, and an inmate of the prison, Sodeeq Yunusa, presently standing trial for alleged robbery offences. The third person who escaped, it was learnt on Tuesday, is still at large.
They were alleged to have committed the offence at about 8.30 a.m. on Sunday within the perimeter of the prison facility.
A ten-year old boy, had on Sunday, seen boys throwing some packages into the Ikoyi Prisons facility from the adjoining officials barracks.
The boy, who has been prepared for the task ahead with the formation of an Intelligence and Monitoring Committee comprising of selected officials of the prison, their wives, the drug unit and the Police set up by the head of the Prisons, Deputy Controller of Prisons (DCP) Tolu Ogunshakin to monitor the activities of ‘intruders’ in the area, quickly alerted his parents of what took place.
But before his father could come out of their house, the suspects, sensing trouble ran from the place and quickly boarded a tricycle heading to Obalende.
It was gathered that the father of the boy alerted his colleagues and together, chased the suspects in their vehicle and caught up with them at Obalende.
Abolade was arrested by the prison officials from a commercial bus while his colleague escaped.
The Prison inmate, Yunusa, on the other hand was caught on the Circuit Camera Television (CCTV) recently installed by DCP Ogunshakin and as approved by the Controller General of Prisons, Mr Ahmed Ja’afaru.
It was gathered that prison officials swooped on Yunusa as he made to collect the packages that were thrown inside the prison facility from outside.
It was gathered that the CCTV was installed to secure the prison and monitor visitors trooping to the area of recent, especially in the morning and at night, most of whom were being suspected to be behind ‘prohibited articles’ which have found their way into the prison facility lately.
It was gathered that when the parcels thrown into the prison facility were cut open, they contained Indian hemp which street value was put at over N150,000 conservatively by a source at the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
During interrogation, Abolade, it was learnt allegedly confessed that the package was meant for Yunusa.
Abolade is presently in the custody of the NDLEA at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Ikeja pending completion of investigation.
Lagos State Controller of Prisons (CP) Tunde Ladipo who confirmed the development further told The Nation that the prison authorities would take all necessary measures to ensure that the suspects does not escape justice in order to serve as deterrent to others.
CP Ladipo said Yunusa has allegedly committed another offence with the latest development, in addition to that of robbery for which he is presently standing trial and would have to be punished according to the dictates of the law.
He said that a formal report will be made against Yunusa before the court at the next hearing of the present charges of alleged robbery against him.
He disclosed that investigation, so far, has revealed that Abolade became acquainted with Yunusa, during one of his numerous visits to Ikoyi Prisons to see his brother, Idris Kolawole, also an inmate standing trial for alleged robbery related offences.
Ladipo said the authority is not taking the matter lying low and would not spare anybody found culpable in the course of the on-going investigation of the suspect stressing “the CCTV has proved to be very useful and is there to help fish out the bad ones, whether he is an inmate or staff. We are not relenting in our efforts to secure the prison”.
The State’s Controller of Prisons also assured that the present development would not affect the process of the three Rs, Reformation, Rehabilitation and Re-integration for the inmates, for which the prison is noted.
