A woman, Shobowale Balikis, has been arrested for allegedly concealing alcohol identified as “Ethano” inside a bottled-water pack to disguise it as drinking water for an inmate of the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta.
The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service said Balikis was intercepted at about 3:50pm on Saturday by vigilant officers during routine screening.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Olayinka Odukoya, said the substance was detected before it could reach the inmate population.
He said Balikis had subsequently been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The NCoS spokesman said the swift intervention of the officers prevented the prohibited substance from entering the custodial facility.
The Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, described the arrest as another indication of the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards the smuggling of contraband into custodial centres.
Adesina reaffirmed the command’s commitment to maintaining safety, discipline and integrity within its facilities, adding that the service would continue to protect inmates, preserve order and uphold the rule of law.
The command also assured members of the public that it would intensify screening and other security measures to prevent the infiltration of contraband into custodial facilities.
The latest incident occurred weeks after the command announced the arrest of another woman, Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the same Ibara custodial facility.
Sowunmi was reportedly arrested during routine screening at the facility’s main entrance on August 28, 2026, with the suspected drugs allegedly intended for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who was said to be on death row at the facility.