How convicted robbery inmate was caught processing visa while in Lagos prison

A convicted armed robber, Haruna Ayo, has been discovered processing an international passport in Lagos. 

According to PUNCH, the incident happened on Wednesday, May 19, when warders from the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Apapa, transported Ayo to the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in FESTAC Town under questionable circumstances.

Ayo was said to be convicted for armed robbery and sentenced to life imprisonment.

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The sentence was later reduced to a 21-year term. He was due for release on October 11, 2025.

On the day of the incident, the report said Ayo had been among five inmates selected to perform menial tasks at the residence of the officer in charge of the custodial facility.

During the outing, a subordinate officer, allegedly acting on orders from a superior, instructed the supervising warder to hand Ayo over to him.

He was then taken to the passport office, where immigration officers grew suspicious.

“While waiting to be attended to, the warder escorting him became impatient and said, ‘I need to take him back to the cell.’

“That statement triggered alarm among immigration officials, who detained both the inmate and the officer and escalated the matter,” the publication quoted a source as saying.

The NIS reported the case to the NCoS Lagos Command at Alagbon, which led to the suspension of two officers.

In a statement on Saturday, the NCoS public relations officer, Umar Abubakar, said the personnel were suspended over an attempt to process an international passport for an inmate.

Abubakar said the misconduct was detected through the automated passport application and other holistic reforms within the Nigeria Immigration Service a fortnight ago.

He noted that the detection was a result of inter-agency collaboration and cooperation.

According to him, such actions contradict established rules and procedures of the NCoS, and “are unacceptable and impermissible”.

The statement reads: “Subsequently, necessary disciplinary actions were taken including the suspension of the two (2) correctional personnel implicated in the incident by the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB), chaired by the Honourable Minister of Interior, Dr. Olubumni Tunji-Ojo.

“The Controller General of Corrections (CGC) Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche MFR mni, has reiterated his commitment to upholding discipline, transparency, and professionalism in all custodial centres across the country.

“The Service categorically states that any personnel found engaging in acts of misconduct, corruption, or sabotage will be shown the way out of the system.”