Two young men have been arrested by the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Kano State Command, for allegedly attempting to smuggle marijuana, also known as Indian hemp, and other illicit drugs to inmates at a court facility in Kano.
The arrest was confirmed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, CSC Musbahu Lawan-Kofarnasarawa.
According to the statement, the suspects identified as Usman Khalid, 25, and Bello Musa Ahmed, 24, both residents of the Tsamiya (Brigade) area of Kano, were apprehended by officers attached to the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC), Goron Dutse.
The NCoS said the suspects were caught while allegedly trying to throw wraps of Indian hemp and other prohibited substances to inmates at the Nomansland Court Complex during court proceedings.
Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections in Kano State, Ado Inuwa, warned members of the public to desist from intermingling with inmates, particularly during their movement to and from court.
He described such actions as a serious security breach and a criminal offence punishable under Nigerian law.
Inuwa reaffirmed the Service’s commitment to the rehabilitation and reformation of inmates, stressing that the NCoS would not tolerate any act capable of undermining its statutory mandate or compromising security within custodial centres and court premises.
He directed the Command’s Legal and Intelligence Units to hand over the suspects, alongside the seized drugs, to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for thorough investigation and possible prosecution.
The Kano Command of the NCoS also restated its zero-tolerance policy toward drug-related activities, vowing to sustain maximum security across all custodial facilities and judicial premises in the state.
The Service further called on residents to cooperate with security agencies by reporting suspicious activities, noting that public vigilance remains critical to maintaining law and order in Kano State.
