A woman, Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, for her son, who is on death row.
Sowunmi was arrested on Friday, August 28, 2026, during routine screening at the facility’s main entrance.
According to the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), officers discovered a suspicious substance concealed inside a sachet of Milo beverage powder. The substance is suspected to be “Colos”, a psychoactive synthetic drug.
The NCoS spokesperson in Ogun State, Odukoya Olayinka, confirmed the incident in a statement on Monday, saying the suspect allegedly intended to deliver the substance to an inmate, Dare Sowunmi.
“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 statement said.
The service said Mrs Sowunmi was immediately detained and subsequently handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for investigation and prosecution.
The Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Kamoru Adesina, commended the officers for their vigilance and strict 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,” Adesina said.
He warned that attempts to introduce contraband into custodial facilities would attract swift legal action.
The NCoS also urged members of the public to respect the integrity of custodial institutions, stressing that anyone attempting to compromise security would face the full weight of the law.