A major scandal is currently rocking the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) following shocking revelations that a convicted armed robber serving time at the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Lagos, was caught attempting to process international travel documents at a Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) passport office in FESTAC Town.
The convict, Haruna Ayo, who is serving a 21-year sentence for armed robbery—reduced from a life term after an appeal and further review—was allegedly escorted from the custodial centre under questionable circumstances on Wednesday, May 19, 2025. According to credible insider reports obtained by KIIN360, Ayo, whose official release date is slated for October 11, 2025, had been selected along with four other inmates for menial work at the private residence of the officer in charge of the prison on the day the incident occurred.
It was during this outing that a warder, reportedly acting under the instruction of a senior officer, requested that Ayo be handed over to him. The inmate was then transported to the FESTAC passport office, where the situation began to unravel. Sources within the immigration service revealed that while waiting to be attended to, the warder accompanying Ayo grew visibly anxious and expressed a need to return the inmate to custody. This odd behavior reportedly raised red flags, prompting the immigration officers on duty to detain both the warder and the convict immediately and escalate the matter to relevant authorities.
Following the incident, the Nigerian Immigration Service informed the NCoS headquarters in Alagbon, Lagos, which swiftly launched an internal investigation. At least two correctional officers were placed on suspension, with one of them identified as Femi. However, insiders within the system have alleged that the officers being punished are merely scapegoats, suggesting that a broader network of complicity exists within the custodial service.
Further investigations revealed that Ayo had previously used claims of serious health issues to secure movement privileges outside prison walls. A source familiar with the matter disclosed that these hospital visits were allegedly used as a cover for his covert attempts to secure a passport and visa. “He repeatedly claimed he was going for medical treatment. Meanwhile, he had already passed three medical evaluations, all of which confirmed he was fit. That excuse was just a smokescreen,” the source explained.
The scandal has sent shockwaves through the correctional facility, as many now question how a convicted felon nearing the end of his sentence could so brazenly attempt to acquire travel documents—raising fears of an attempted escape. Another source within the facility confirmed that this was not an isolated case but part of a broader culture of corruption that has plagued the system.
“This is just a symptom of a deeper rot. There’s a long-standing pattern of certain inmates enjoying VIP treatment in exchange for money. Now that the authorities started cleaning up after the Bobrisky episode, more hidden cases are beginning to surface,” the official said.
It would be recalled that in 2024, the Nigerian Correctional Service came under intense public scrutiny when the Baale of Kirikiri, Chief Babalola Shabi, alleged that prison officials collected N35 million to provide luxury treatment for controversial internet personality Idris Okuneye, popularly known as Bobrisky, during his incarceration. That case triggered a wave of internal audits and personnel changes across several facilities, including Kirikiri.
The current incident, involving a convicted robber nearly succeeding in processing travel documents while still serving a sentence, has once again cast a harsh spotlight on systemic corruption, operational lapses, and the urgent need for transparency and reform within Nigeria’s correctional system. As the investigation deepens, many are watching to see if justice will be served or if, once again, the matter will be swept under the rug.
