By Ibironke Ariyo
The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has deployed technology to intercept illicit items in custodial centres across the country.
The NCos Public Relations Officer, Assistant Controller of Corrections, Mr Abubakar Umar, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.
NAN reports that on March 23, NCoS destroyed contraband worth over N150 million, recovered from various custodial centres.
Umar said that the service had various procedural and dynamic security measures created to forestall contraband getting into the facilities.
He said that the items destroyed were fished out through the measures put in place by the service.
“Apart from the intensive searches and surveillance, we have also deployed technology to intercept these illicit items.
“We are monitoring some custodial centres from the National Headquarters in real time to stop trafficking in our custodial centres.
“We have also succeeded in fishing out recalcitrant personnel, who are accomplices to the unscrupulous practice and shown them the way out of the service, “he said.
The NCoS scribe alleged that most of the contraband were smuggled by the relatives and friends of inmates through illegal means.
“We have intercepted lots of them before they go in; while for the few that eventually get in, we search them out and destroy them, ” he said.
Umar, however, said that NCoS was orientating the inmates in all ramifications on the dangers of trafficking.
According to him, the service is engaging the inmates functionally through education and vocational skills acquisition programmes.
This, he said would not enable the inmates to have time for any vice, adding, ”an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”. (NAN)
