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A female visitor was reportedly arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, the same facility recently linked to a scandal after a death row inmate was found to have been hosting TikTok livestreams from behind bars.
The suspect, identified as Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, was apprehended on Friday during routine screening at the prison’s main entrance.
Our correspondent gathered that officers discovered a suspicious substance concealed inside a sachet of Milo beverage powder.
The substance is suspected to be “Colos”, a psychoactive synthetic drug.
Spokesperson for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Ogun State Command, Odukoya Olayinka, confirmed the arrest in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Monday.
Olayinka said the suspect was attempting to deliver the package to an inmate, Dare Sowunmi, who is currently on death row.
The spokesperson confirmed to Daily Trust that the suspect is the mother of the death row inmate.
“At approximately 1:33 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, routine screening procedures at the facility’s main entry point led to the detection of suspicious substances believed to be the psychoactive synthetic drug commonly known as ‘Colos’, concealed within a sachet of a popular beverage powder.
“The suspect was attempting to deliver the package to an inmate, Dare Sowunmi, who is currently on death row,” the NCoS said in the statement.
Olayinka said that, following the interception, the command immediately detained Mrs Sowunmi and later handed her over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for comprehensive investigation and prosecution.
He quoted the Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Kamoru Adesina, as commending the security personnel for their vigilance and adherence to security protocols.
“Our custodial facilities exist to ensure public safety, reformation, and rehabilitation. We maintain an absolute zero-tolerance policy for drug trafficking or any illegal acts designed to compromise security,” Controller Adesina stated.
“Attempts to introduce contraband into our facilities will be met with swift legal action.”
Olayinka urged the public to respect “the integrity of custodial institutions”, warning that anyone seeking to undermine security would face the full weight of the law.
Daily Trust reports that the latest incident comes a few weeks after a scandal rocked the prison when a death row inmate, Elijah Oyebode, reportedly hosted TikTok livestreams from behind bars.
Oyebode, who was sentenced to death in 2019 for the murder of a final-year university student, operated TikTok accounts, hosted livestreams, received virtual gifts, conducted business activities and placed sports bets while in custody.
The incident generated widespread buzz and condemnation across social media platforms.
Following the incident, the NCoS reportedly removed the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, and two other principal officers.
In a statement signed by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections J.N. Osuji, the NCoS described the incident as a serious breach of custodial security and a violation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, the Service Standing Orders and other extant regulations governing custodial operations.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations confirmed that the inmate was in unlawful possession of a prohibited mobile phone, which he used to access social media while in lawful custody.
“The device has since been recovered following a search operation and secured as an exhibit for further investigation,” the Service said.
Osuji said the inmate had since been transferred to another custodial facility, where he was being held under enhanced security pending the conclusion of investigations.
The Service said preliminary findings also uncovered security gaps that may have contributed to the breach, prompting the Controller-General to order the immediate removal of the three officers.
