Three officers and six other men of the Nigerian Correctional Service have been suspended over a $1 million internet fraud allegedly perpetrated by Olusegun Aroke, an inmate serving a 24-year term in Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Lagos.
The Deputy Controller in charge of the facility, Emmanuel Oluwaniyi, and DC Hemeson Edwin were both arrested in connection to the alleged crime.
The inmate currently serving a 24 year jail term was granted permission to receive treatment outside the facility.
The Controller General in a release signed by the NCS spokesman, Controller of Corrections, Francis Enobore, stated that, “the Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board has approved the suspension of three officers and six other ranks of the Nigerian Correctional Service implicated in the alleged internet fraud suspected to have been perpetrated by Hope Olusegun Aroke, an inmate serving a term of imprisonment in Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre, Lagos.
“This is based on the preliminary report of the investigation panel earlier constituted by the Controller-General of the Service, Jaáfaru Ahmed which indicted the officers of complexity in the scandal”
Oluwaniyi and Edwin, were both arrested on Monday by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission for procuring exaggerated medical report for the inmate.
The convict was also granted access to the internet and mobile phone in the Correctional Centre which is contrary to the rules of the agency.
Justice Lateefa Okunnu of the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, sentenced Aroke to serve a 24 year jail term following his involvement in false pretence, cheque cloning, wire transfer, and forgery.
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