January 7, 2026 l Dalena Reporters
ABUJA — Operatives of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kano State Command, have arrested two young men in connection with an attempt to smuggle Indian hemp and other illicit drugs to inmates appearing at a court facility in Kano State, authorities confirmed on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.
According to a statement by CSC Musbahu Lawan-Kofarnasarawa, Public Relations Officer of the Kano NCoS, the suspects — 25-year-old Usman Khalid and 24-year-old Bello Musa Ahmed, both residents of the Tsamiya (Brigade) area of Kano — were apprehended by officers attached to the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Goron Dutse, while attempting to throw packages of Indian hemp and other prohibited substances to inmates at the Nomansland Court Complex during ongoing court proceedings.
The detainees were intercepted in the act, highlighting heightened vigilance by correctional personnel tasked with securing inmates during movement to and from court — a period officials say is often exploited by individuals attempting to breach custodial security.
Reacting to the arrest, Controller of Corrections, Kano State Command, Ado Inuwa, warned the public against intermingling with inmates or attempting to deliver contraband, describing such actions as a “serious security breach” and a criminal offence punishable under Nigerian law.
Inuwa reiterated the NCoS’s commitment to the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates, emphasizing that no act capable of undermining the service’s statutory mandate or compromising security within custodial centres and judicial premises would be tolerated.
The statement further directed that the suspects and the seized substances be handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for thorough investigation and possible prosecution, as part of broader efforts to clamp down on drug-related activities linked to custodial facilities.
The Kano NCoS also appealed to residents to cooperate with security agencies and report suspicious activities, noting that public vigilance remains critical to maintaining law and order in the state.
This incident underscores ongoing challenges related to drug smuggling and criminal influence around justice institutions, prompting continued vigilance by security forces to safeguard court processes and rehabilitative objectives.