A woman identified as Shobowale Balikis has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle alcohol concealed in a bottled water pack into the Ibara Custodial Centre in Ogun State.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ogun State Command, Olayinka Odukoya, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday.
According to Odukoya, correctional officers intercepted Balikis at about 3:50pm on Saturday while she was allegedly attempting to take the substance into the custodial facility for an inmate.
“At about 15:50 hours today, 26th September 2026, vigilant officials at the Ibara Custodial Centre intercepted a woman, identified as Shobowale Balikis, in an attempt to smuggle contraband into the facility,” Odukoya said.
He said the substance, identified as “Ethano”, was allegedly concealed inside a bottled water pack and disguised as drinking water intended for an inmate.
“She was caught concealing Ethano inside a bottled water pack, disguising it as drinking water intended for an inmate,” he added.
Odukoya said the substance was detected before it reached the inmate population, adding that Balikis had subsequently been handed over to the Nigeria Police Force for further investigation and possible prosecution.
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“The swift action of correctional officers ensured the illicit substance was detected before it could reach the inmate population,” he said.
“Shobowale Balikis has since been handed over to the Nigerian Police for further investigation, with appropriate legal proceedings expected to follow.”
Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, reiterated the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards the smuggling of contraband into custodial facilities.
According to the statement, Adesina said the interception demonstrated the commitment of correctional officers to maintaining safety, discipline and integrity within custodial centres.
He added that the service would continue to protect inmates, maintain order and uphold the rule of law.
The command also assured members of the public that it would sustain efforts to prevent the infiltration of prohibited substances and other contraband into custodial facilities across the state.