It seems all layers of Nigeria’s correctional system has been blinded into not seeing an escalating scandal at the Enugu Correctional Centre where an inmate may be running kidnap racket behind the walls.
Civil Society groups in Rivers State have accused the inmate of living large with designer clothes and exotic writ watch to match. Yet, ransom paid for a kidnap victim is said to have been traced the prisoner. Yet, the scandal is only beginning.
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The Minister of Interior has been implored to intervene and fish out a man in Enugu Correctional Centre (ECC) suspected to be the mastermind of kidnap of a 12-year-old girl in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital.
Addressing the press in Port Harcourt on April 23, 2025, Georgewill Enefaa, chairman of the Rivers State Coalition of Civil Societies (RivCSO), said it was important for Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Minister of Interior, to take over the matter in view of the denials by the Correctional authorities defending the Enugu Centre on the matter.
The child, Favour Oluwaseyin, was in her father’s parlour when a neighbour’s daughter who was her friend allegedly entered and joined in watching television with Favour and her mother. Soon, the mother stepped into the toilet area but Favour and her friend stepped out. Soon, according to eye-witnesses, a man in a keke took Favour away while the friend went home.
This began the case of kidnap and ransom until the police from Mile One Division in Port Harcourt allegedly tracked the ransom and calls to Enugu Correctional Centre where the suspect made written confessions but refused later to sign it.
When this came to the public, the national headquarters of the Correctional Centre rejected it.
Reacting, the RivCSO said its attention has been drawn to what it called false and provocative statement credited to Umar Abubakar, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) regarding the kidnapping of a 12-year-old Favour Oluwaseyi.
The address said Favour was kidnapped on the 7th of August 2024 using her friend to lure her from her father’s sitting room, with specific claims pointing to the involvement of a suspect, Chidiebere Chikezie (alias Chi-Boy) at the Enugu Correctional facility.
“The statement is not only laughable and embarrassing, but we find it concerning that the NCoS hastily dismissed these serious allegations without conducting a thorough investigation. By taking this path, the Nigeria Correctional Service is reminding the country that it is very far from redemption.”
The Rivers group said given the gravity of the situation, they challenge the Nigeria Correctional Service to conduct an immediate, open, and thorough investigation into the allegations; to make public the visit register for December 4th, 2024, to verify the claim that the victim’s father, accompanied by police officials, visited the Enugu Correctional facility; provide concrete evidence to support their denial to demonstrate transparency and accountability.”
They also said according to the father to Favour Oluwaseyi, the real name of the suspect at the Enugu Correctional Service’s is Chidiebere Chikezie (aka Chi-Boy).
“The public deserves to know the truth. An open probe and release of relevant records will help bring those responsible to justice. We cannot afford to have correctional facilities compromised by corruption, enabling criminals to continue their nefarious activities.
“We expect the NCoS to cooperate fully, providing necessary information to help restore the abducted 12-year-old girl (Favour Oluwaseyi) to her family.
“Finally, we call on the Minister of Interior Affairs to lead the investigation and if our claim is found to be true, the Spokesperson of the Nigeria Correctional Service should be sacked immediately for conducting himself in a way unexpected of government image maker.”
The father also pleaded for return of his daughter, saying he saw the suspect in Enugu who he said showed remorse but after going out with some Correctional officers, came back and changed to a shouting man and allegedly refused to sign the statement he had made. The father insisted on justice for the daughter since August 2024.
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