Abeokuta, Ogun State — August 31, 2026
A woman has been taken into custody by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) after allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs to her son, an inmate on death row, at a facility in Abeokuta.
The suspect, identified as Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, was apprehended at approximately 1:33 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, during routine screening at the main entry point of the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta.
According to a statement issued Monday by the Ogun State Command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Odukoya, security personnel discovered the suspicious substance concealed inside a sachet of a popular beverage powder — reportedly Milo — during standard checks at the gate. The substance is suspected to be “Colos,” a psychoactive synthetic drug that has drawn growing concern among Nigerian security agencies in recent months.
Officials said the woman intended to pass the package to her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is currently on death row at the facility.
Following her arrest, Mrs Sowunmi was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and possible prosecution.
Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections for the Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, commended the vigilance of the officers involved and reaffirmed the Service’s zero-tolerance stance on contraband entering custodial facilities. He stressed that correctional centres exist to safeguard public safety and support rehabilitation, and warned that anyone caught attempting to introduce illegal substances or other banned items would face full legal consequences.
Investigations into the incident are ongoing.
