NEWS
Alleged Extortion, Unauthorized Levies At Kirikiri Custodial Centre, Citizen Calls For Urgent Probe
By Kalu Amah
A petition alleging extortion, unauthorized levies, intimidation and other forms of abuse against inmates at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Kirikiri, Apapa, Lagos, has been made public, with a demand for immediate investigation by relevant authorities.
The petition was presented to newsmen on Thursday by Afeez Adeshina, who accused the Deputy Controller of Corrections and Officer-In-Charge of the facility, DCC Daniel C. Ogu, popularly called ‘Iron Breaker’ of overseeing the alleged practices.
According to the petitioner, inmates are being subjected to financial demands allegedly tied to cell allocation, weekly dues, generator procurement, fuel and other levies.
“The alleged demands vary from inmate to inmate, with some payments reportedly running into hundreds of thousands of naira,” Adeshina alleged.
He further claimed that inmates who fail to comply face punitive measures, including restrictions on family visits, transfers to punishment cells, solitary confinement, and denial of medical attention.
The petitioner described the actions as a violation of the Nigerian Correctional Service Act, 2019 which prohibits abuse, exploitation and degrading treatment of inmates.
“Exploiting money from vulnerable inmates amounts to official corruption, abuse of office, and gross misconduct unbecoming of a public officer,” the petition stated.
To support the allegations, the petitioner presented copies of financial transaction receipts allegedly made by inmates’ relatives into an account used for the collections.
The receipts show payments made by Nkechi Josephine Okpala to Aniefiok Joseph Edem through OPay Digital Services Limited, Account No: 7087488253*
Transactions listed between May and June 2026 include payments of ₦10,000, ₦20,000, ₦30,000, ₦40,000 and ₦110,000. Descriptions on the receipts include _“Weekly dues,” “Arrears and Weekly dues,” “From Okpala,” “From Okpala refund,”_ and entries referencing generator contributions.
One receipt dated June 19, 2026 shows a payment of ₦110,000. Another dated June 22, 2026 shows ₦6,000 to the same beneficiary.
The petitioner is urging authorities to determine who controls the account, who authorized the collections, who benefited from the funds, and how the money was accounted for.
He called on the Nigerian Correctional Service Headquarters, the Federal Ministry of Interior, and relevant anti-corruption agencies to launch an independent investigation.
“Investigators should speak directly and privately with inmates, without custodial officers present, so they can speak freely without fear of intimidation or reprisals,” Adeshina said.
He stressed that the petition should not be taken as a declaration of guilt, but as a request for facts to be established.
“Anyone found culpable should face appropriate disciplinary or legal action, while anyone wrongly accused should be given the opportunity to clear their name,” he added.
As of the time of filing this report, the Nigerian Correctional Service and the office of DCC Daniel C. Ogu had not issued an official response to the allegations.