In a shocking breach of security and prison protocol, a convicted armed robber serving a 21-year sentence at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Lagos was caught attempting to process an international passport while still in custody.
The inmate, identified as Haruna Ayo, was reportedly escorted to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in FESTAC Town under questionable circumstances on Wednesday, May 19, 2025.
PLATFORM TIMES gathered that Ayo, who was initially sentenced to life imprisonment before the term was commuted to 21 years, was not due for release until October 11, 2025.
Despite his incarceration, he was somehow allowed outside the prison walls under the pretext of performing menial tasks at the residence of a senior officer in charge of the custodial facility.
According to insider sources, Ayo was one of five inmates taken out of the prison on that day. However, a junior officer, allegedly acting on the directive of a superior, reportedly diverted Ayo to the passport office, where he attempted to initiate a passport application.
Suspicion was reportedly aroused when the warder escorting Ayo became agitated and was overheard telling immigration staff, “I need to take him back to the cell.”
This unusual comment triggered alarm, prompting immigration officers to detain both Ayo and the warder.
The Nigerian Immigration Service immediately reported the incident to the Lagos Command of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) at Alagbon, leading to swift disciplinary action.
In a statement issued on Saturday, NCoS spokesperson, Umar Abubakar, confirmed that two correctional officers had been suspended over their involvement in the scandal.
He disclosed that the misconduct was uncovered through inter-agency collaboration and ongoing reforms, including the automation of the passport application process by the NIS.
“The Controller General of Corrections, Sylvester Nwakuche, has zero tolerance for misconduct and has reiterated his commitment to discipline, transparency, and professionalism in custodial centres nationwide,” Abubakar stated.
The suspension of the officers, according to Abubakar, was approved by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), chaired by the Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo.
He stressed that any personnel found engaging in misconduct, corruption, or sabotage would be decisively dealt with.
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