The Federal Government has directed an immediate and comprehensive investigation into allegations of criminal activities within the Okere Correctional Centre, Warri, Delta State, which have recently been reported in the media.
Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, gave the order in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Babatunde Alao, on Tuesday in Abuja.
This followed a shocking media report that some inmates of the Okere Correctional Centre, Warri, were linked to an armed robbery in Benin City, Edo State.
The Minister strongly condemned the alleged reprehensible behaviour and emphasised that any form of indiscipline and misconduct would be met with severe consequences.
“I will not allow indiscipline to fester under my nose. Any officer found wanting will face the full weight of the law. The leadership of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) must provide explanations,” Tunji-Ojo stated.
The Minister reiterates his commitment to upholding the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and accountability in the administration of justice within the correctional service system.
“We take these allegations seriously and will not tolerate any form of misconduct within our correctional facilities,” he added.
Tunji-Ojo called on the general public to provide any relevant information that may aid in the investigation.
There was a shocking revelation that some inmates at the Warri custodial centre were involved in an armed robbery in Benin City, Edo State.
According to the report, there was a robbery incident that occurred on January 3, 2025, when armed assailants attacked a young man, stole valuable items, and transferred N4 million to an online bank
The crime was initially reported to the Edo State Police Command, but progress in identifying the perpetrators was slow.
Investigators made a breakthrough when a geo-analysis of the bank account used for the transaction led them to the Udu area of Delta State. The police arrested the account holder, a woman who claimed she was unaware of the crime.
The woman according to the report, revealed that her boyfriend, whom she met online, instructed her to open the account, claiming his phone had fallen into a river. She was later asked to withdraw and transfer large sums of money.
Further investigation traced the robbery to inmates at the Warri Correctional Facility (Okere Prison). When police stormed the prison, they were met with resistance from the officials, who initially refused to produce the suspects.
However, authorities managed to apprehend one of them—an inmate on death row—who confessed to participating in the crime.
