NPS dismisses officer for alleged drug trafficking

The management of the Nigerian Prisons Service (NPS) has dismissed a Prison Officer for trafficking illicit drugs in the prison yard.

The Public Relations Officer of the Service, Francis Enorbore, confirmed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja.

Mr Enorbore named the affected officer as Prison Assistant 1 Umar Adamu.

He said that the Controller General of Prisons, Ja’afaru Ahmed, had approved the recommendations of the Zone ‘C’ disciplinary committee for the officer’s dismissal.

“This followed the recommendation of the Zonal Disciplinary Committee that found the officer guilty of secreting illicit items such as Indian hemp (cannabis) and other intoxicants into the prison for inmates.

“This is part of a concerted effort by the administration to continue to maintain discipline and ensure that mal-adjusted inmates in Prison custody are only handled by those with the required rectitude to do so,’’ Mr Enorbore said.

He noted that exposing inmates to hard drugs was an anathema to the reformation goal of the Prisons Service.

He said this does not only precipitate health complications but also constitutes security risk to innocent lives in and around the prison.

“The CGP, therefore warn that any officer caught in such an ignoble act will be shown the way out of the Service as they have no business being in a character reformation agency.

“He assured the public that the management of the NPS remains irrevocably committed to sustain the peace and calm now existing in prisons across the country in order to enhance reformation and rehabilitation of offenders in prisons custody,” he said.

(NAN)