EXCLUSIVE: How Prison officials sneaked-out inmate to visit lover in Ebonyi

In a disturbing report, officials at the Afikpo Correctional Centre in Ebonyi State have been accused of illegally allowing an inmate, Ibuchi Okoro Eze, to leave the facility for a conjugal visit with his girlfriend.

Ibuchi, who is serving time for a rape conviction, was reportedly taken out of the prison on Saturday, September 14, 2024, to meet his girlfriend at her bar in Afikpo.

According to a source within the facility, this isn’t the first time inmates have been granted such unauthorized outings.

The source claims that some prison warders accept bribes from inmates in exchange for allowing them to leave the facility, and in this particular case, junior officers were allegedly forced by superiors to escort Ibuchi outside.

Once at the bar, the inmate requested privacy with his girlfriend, a demand initially opposed by one officer but later approved by a senior official.

Efforts to get a response from Umar Abubakar, the spokesman for the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), were unsuccessful, as calls and messages went unanswered at the time of this report.

This incident raises broader concerns about corruption and extortion within Nigeria’s prison system.

Previous reports have documented similar issues, with inmates allegedly bribing officers for privileges such as access to mobile phones, better living conditions, and even the ability to organize criminal activities from behind bars.

This latest revelation highlights the ongoing challenges within the Nigerian Correctional Service and the need for urgent reforms.

(Sahara Reporters)