A 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected Indian hemp into a correctional facility in Kano State.
The suspect was reportedly caught on Sunday while trying to throw the substance into the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kurmawa, Kano.
The Nigerian Correctional Service disclosed the incident in a statement on Monday through its Kano State Command spokesperson, CSC Musbahu Kofarnassarawa.
According to the statement, the suspect, a resident of Janguza Quarters, was intercepted around noon by officers of the Armed Squad Unit following a security alert.
The operation was carried out under the supervision of the unit’s commander, CSC Usman M. Sale.
The Controller of Corrections in Kano State, Ahmed Yusuf-Lakpene, praised the officers for preventing the alleged smuggling attempt and maintaining security within the facility.
He warned that the command would not tolerate the introduction of prohibited substances into correctional centres and called on residents to avoid bringing illegal drugs or other banned materials into prisons.
The suspect has since been transferred to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and appropriate action.
The correctional service also pledged to continue strengthening security at its facilities to protect inmates and support their rehabilitation.
In a related incident, a woman was arrested in August for allegedly attempting to smuggle illicit drugs into a correctional centre in Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State.