Correctional Officers Nab Woman Disguising Alcohol as Drinking Water at Ogun’s Ibara Custodial Centre
A woman identified as Shobowale Balikis has been arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle alcohol, disguised as bottled drinking water, into the Ibara Custodial Centre in Abeokuta, Ogun State, for an inmate.
The Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Ogun State Command, Olayinka Odukoya, disclosed the arrest in a statement issued Sunday, saying vigilant officials intercepted Balikis at approximately 3:50pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026, during a routine screening at the facility. “At about 15:50 hours today, 26th September 2026, vigilant officials at the Ibara Custodial Centre intercepted a woman, identified as Shobowale Balikis, in an attempt to smuggle contraband into the facility. She was caught concealing ethanol inside a bottled water pack, disguising it as drinking water intended for an inmate,” Odukoya said.
According to the command, the swift action of correctional officers ensured the illicit substance was detected before it could reach the inmate population. Balikis has since been handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for further investigation, with appropriate legal proceedings expected to follow. As of the time of reporting, no specific charges had been formally disclosed, and it should be noted that the allegations against her have not been tested in court; she is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections for the Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, reiterated the service’s zero-tolerance stance on the smuggling of contraband into custodial centres, saying the interception demonstrated the command’s continued commitment to maintaining safety, discipline and integrity within its facilities. The command further assured the public that it remains resolute in preventing contraband infiltration and safeguarding the overall integrity of the correctional system, stressing its ongoing commitment to protecting inmates, preserving order and upholding the rule of law.
Sunday’s arrest is the second such incident at the same facility within roughly four weeks. On August 31, the service similarly arrested a woman, Iyabo Sowunmi, for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre at Ibara for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is reported to be on death row. In that earlier case, officers reportedly discovered a suspicious substance, suspected to be a psychoactive synthetic drug known as “Colos,” concealed inside a sachet of Milo beverage powder during a routine search at the prison’s main entrance.
The recurrence of contraband-smuggling attempts at the Ibara Custodial Centre within such a short period continues to draw attention to the ongoing challenge correctional authorities face in preventing prohibited items from reaching inmates, even as the command maintains that its screening procedures continue to intercept such attempts before they succeed.
About the Author
