Contrary to claims that an officer who took an inmate out of custody for conjugal purposes was pardoned, while a whistleblower was dismissed for exposing the alleged misconduct within the custodial system, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has clarified that the said officer, was dismissed for serious breaches of professional conduct.
The service, in a statement issued on Saturday night by it the public relations officer, Umar Abubakar, described recent reports making the rounds as false, malicious, and one aimed at discrediting its integrity .
Umar clarified that the dismissed officer, ASC 1 Efe Onakpoya , with Service No. 57790, was found guilty of misconduct following a thorough investigation by the Service’s disciplinary unit.
“The dismissed officer was not a whistleblower, but rather the one who committed a serious breach of professional conduct by taking unauthorised photographs of an inmate, Ibuchi Okoro Eze, within the barracks of the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Afikpo, and uploading them to the internet,” Abubakar stated.
The statement has it that media reports had alleged that an officer who took an inmate out of custody for conjugal purposes was pardoned, while the supposed whistleblower was dismissed.
He added that in addition to this act, the dismissed officer made false and damaging allegations, including a fabricated claim that an inmate was taken out of the facility for conjugal intimacy, an event that the Service confirmed never occurred.
The stated read this, “The Nigerian Correctional Service remains committed to upholding the highest standards of discipline, integrity, and professionalism. Any act that undermines these values will not be tolerated.”
The Service therefore urged the public to disregard such reports , cautioning against the influence of individuals attempting to mislead the public and tarnish the image of the NCoS.
“The dismissed officer was not a whistleblower, but the very individual who violated the professional ethics of the Service. He was found guilty of taking unauthorised photographs of an inmate, within the premises of the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Afikpo and publishing them online , a clear breach of protocol.
„Following a thorough investigation by our disciplinary unit, his dismissal was in line with the rules and expectations of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Umar said, “It is important to emphasise that the allegations of an inmate being taken out for conjugal intimacy are completely false and were fabricated by the dismissed officer to mislead the public and discredit the Service. The Nigerian Correctional Service remains firmly committed to discipline, integrity, and professionalism.
„We urge the public to disregard the malicious report and not to fall for the tactics of individuals bent on tarnishing our image,” he added.
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