Woman Arrested for Smuggling Ethanol to Inmate in Bottled Water

Officials of the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, have arrested a woman for allegedly trying to smuggle ethanol to an inmate concealed in a bottled water pack.

The suspect, identified as Shobowale Balikis, was intercepted on Saturday during a routine security search at the correctional facility.

The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) confirmed the arrest in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Odukoya O. Olayinka.

According to the statement, officers detected the substance while screening the items the woman brought into the centre.

Olayinka said the suspect disguised the ethanol as drinking water intended for an inmate.

He said the officers acted quickly to prevent the substance from reaching inmates inside the facility.

The command has since handed Balikis over to the police for further investigation and possible prosecution.

Olayinka quoted the Controller of Corrections in Ogun State, Abioye Kamoru Adesina, as reaffirming the service’s zero-tolerance policy on smuggling contraband into custodial centres.

Adesina said the interception demonstrated the determination of correctional officers to maintain order and protect the integrity of the facility.

The command also assured the public that it would continue to tighten security around custodial centres to prevent the entry of prohibited substances.

The latest incident comes about four weeks after officers at the same facility arrested a woman who allegedly tried to smuggle drugs to her son on death row.

The woman, identified as Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, was arrested during routine screening at the main entrance of the centre.

According to the command, officers became suspicious of a sachet of Milo beverage powder among the items she brought to the facility.

A search reportedly uncovered a substance suspected to be “Colos”, a psychoactive synthetic drug, concealed inside the sachet.

The two incidents have renewed attention on efforts by correctional authorities to stop the movement of drugs and other prohibited substances into custodial facilities.

The Ogun Command said its officers would continue to subject visitors and items brought into the centres to security checks as part of measures to safeguard inmates, staff and the wider facility.