A death row inmate identified as Elijah Oyebode has sparked shakedown in the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) after he went viral for hosting TikTok Live sessions from inside a prison in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital.
Following the incident which occurred at the Ibara Medium Security Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, the NCoS authorities have removed the Officer-in-Charge and two other principal officers of the centre.
The Service described such live TikTok broadcast as a security breach.
Oyebode’s primary TikTok handle was @ayola.oluwafu, but it was deleted from the social media platform following outrage generated by the incident.
The NCoS announced the disciplinary action against its officers in a statement issued by the Service’s Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Corrections J.N. Osuji, on behalf of the Controller-General of Corrections, Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche.
According to the statement, preliminary investigations revealed that the inmate was unlawfully in possession of a prohibited mobile phone, which he allegedly used to access social media and conduct the live broadcast while in custody.
It described the incident as a serious breach of custodial security, noting that it violated provisions of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019, Service Standing Orders and other regulations governing custodial operations.
According to the statement, the prohibited mobile phone has since been recovered during a search operation and secured as an exhibit as investigations into the incident continue.
The affected inmate has also been transferred from the Ibara facility to another custodial centre, where he is being held under enhanced security pending the conclusion of the investigation.
Following the incident, the NCoS spokesman explained that the Controller-General ordered the immediate removal of the Officer-in-Charge and two other principal officers to allow for a transparent and unhindered investigation into the circumstances surrounding the breach.
He, however, stated that the removal of the officers did not amount to a declaration of guilt, stressing that the action was taken to ensure the integrity and impartiality of the ongoing investigation.
The Service said investigators would determine whether any officer, inmate or external collaborator facilitated, aided, condoned or contributed to the security breach.
It warned that anyone found culpable, including through negligence or failure to perform assigned duties, would face appropriate disciplinary and administrative sanctions in accordance with existing regulations.
It added that the Controller-General had also directed the full implementation of ongoing security reforms aimed at eliminating vulnerabilities and preventing prohibited items, particularly mobile phones, from gaining access to custodial facilities.
The NCoS acknowledged the role of members of the public and the media in bringing the incident to its attention, promising that the outcome of the investigation would determine whether further disciplinary action would be taken.
