Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, the suspect arrested for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is said to be on death row. Photo: Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service.
The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has arrested a woman, Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, for allegedly attempting to smuggle suspected illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, for her son, Dare Sowunmi, who is reportedly on death row.
The command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Odukoya, disclosed this in a statement issued on Monday.
According to Odukoya, Mrs Sowunmi was arrested at about 1:33 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026, during routine screening at the facility’s main entrance.
He said officers discovered a substance suspected to be “Colos,” a psychoactive synthetic drug, concealed inside a sachet of a popular beverage powder.
The substance was allegedly intended for Dare Sowunmi, an inmate on death row at the facility.
“Routine screening procedures at the facility’s main entry point led to the detection of suspicious substances, believed to be the psychoactive synthetic drug commonly known as ‘Colos,’ concealed within a sachet of a popular beverage powder,” Odukoya said.
He added that Mrs Sowunmi was immediately detained following the discovery and later handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in line with inter-agency protocols for further investigation and prosecution.
Reacting to the incident, the Controller of Corrections, Ogun State Command, Abioye Adesina, commended the officers for their vigilance and adherence to security procedures.
Adesina reaffirmed the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking and other acts capable of compromising security within custodial facilities.
“Our custodial facilities exist to ensure public safety, reformation, and rehabilitation. We maintain an absolute zero-tolerance policy for drug trafficking or any illegal acts designed to compromise security,” he said.
“Attempts to introduce contraband into our facilities will be met with swift legal action.”
The command also urged members of the public to respect the integrity of custodial institutions, warning that anyone found attempting to compromise security would face the full weight of the law.
