Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Pierre Antoine
During a routine security operation conducted at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje, Abuja, earlier this week, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) became the subject of controversy after reports emerged alleging that prison officials stole valuables worth more than ₦120 million from a high-profile inmate. However, on Friday, May 29, 2026, the Service formally denied the allegations, describing them as false, misleading, and unsupported by official records.
The controversy originated from reports that former Skye Bank chairman, Tunde Ayeni, who is currently facing trial on fraud-related charges, allegedly lost a luxury wristwatch and wedding ring valued at over ₦120 million during a search operation inside the Kuje correctional facility. Separate reports also claimed that suspended police officer Abba Kyari, another high-profile detainee at the facility, allegedly lost about ₦2 million during the same operation.
According to accounts published by media outlets citing unnamed sources within the prison, senior correctional officials reportedly conducted a sweeping search of sections housing prominent detainees. Some reports alleged that officers entered the facility with security personnel and search dogs, confiscated various items, and that some valuables subsequently went missing. Sources quoted in those reports claimed that inmates were considering filing petitions over the incident.
Responding to the allegations from Abuja on May 29, NCoS spokesperson Jane Osuji said the reports did not reflect what occurred during the operation. She maintained that the exercise was a routine security search carried out in accordance with established procedures designed to maintain security, discipline, and order within custodial facilities.
"The allegation is false, misleading and inconsistent with the operational realities and established procedures governing custodial facilities in the country," Osuji said in the statement.
The Service explained that inmates are prohibited from possessing unauthorized personal items, luxury valuables, and large sums of money while in custody. According to NCoS regulations, all personal belongings declared by inmates upon admission are documented, recorded, and stored securely until discharge or lawful release. Officials stated that records from the Kuje custodial centre do not indicate that the items mentioned in the reports were ever declared by the affected inmates upon admission.
The NCoS further stated that none of the alleged valuables were discovered, processed, or recorded during the search operation. As a result, authorities said there is no documentary evidence supporting claims that the items were in the inmates' lawful possession within the custodial facility at the time of the search.
Correctional authorities also emphasized that the items described in the reports would themselves constitute prohibited contraband if found in an inmate's possession. The Service noted that correctional regulations do not permit inmates to retain expensive jewelry, luxury watches, or substantial amounts of cash while in custody.
Another key element of the Service's response concerns complaints procedures. The NCoS disclosed that, as of the time the statement was issued, neither Tunde Ayeni, Abba Kyari, nor any other inmate had submitted a formal complaint through the correctional system's official grievance channels alleging theft or loss of property arising from the search.
The dispute comes amid a broader crackdown on contraband within Nigeria's correctional facilities. Earlier in May 2026, the NCoS publicly destroyed more than 1,100 confiscated mobile phones recovered from custodial centres across the country and announced disciplinary actions against dozens of officers as part of efforts to tighten security and curb the flow of prohibited items into prisons.
By Friday evening, the Correctional Service maintained that the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kuje remained calm, secure, and fully operational. The agency urged journalists and members of the public to verify sensitive claims through official channels before publication and warned against the circulation of unverified reports capable of undermining public confidence in public institutions.
While allegations surrounding the Kuje search operation continue to attract public attention because of the involvement of prominent detainees, no independent evidence has yet emerged publicly to substantiate claims that correctional officers stole valuables worth ₦120 million during the exercise. At present, the allegations remain disputed, with the Nigerian Correctional Service categorically denying wrongdoing and insisting that all actions taken during the operation complied with established custodial regulations.
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