Tension surrounds the alleged kidnap suspect connection to the correctional service.
A storm of controversy is brewing over the abduction of 12-year-old Favour Oluwaseyi, as civil society groups in Rivers State accuse security agencies of complicity, while the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) has categorically denied any link to the alleged mastermind said to be operating from inside Enugu prison.
The case, which has dragged on for over eight months, has taken a disturbing twist. Favor, a young girl from Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was reportedly lured out of her home by a friend and handed over to a man who abducted her in broad daylight on August 7, 2024.
According to the victim’s father, Mr. Ogunsinasi Oluwaseyi, the kidnappers initially demanded N200,000 in ransom but later accepted N100,000 after negotiations. The money was paid via bank transfer to an account that, following a police investigation, was allegedly linked to a phone number traced to the Enugu Correctional facility.
The suspect, known only as “Chiboy,” was identified during the police investigation as a key figure in the crime. However, attempts by officers to apprehend him were reportedly met with resistance by officials at the correctional center, further fueling allegations of an internal cover-up. “The very idea that someone could coordinate a kidnapping from within prison walls is horrifying,” said Comrade Enefaa Georgewill, Chairman of the Rivers Civil Society Organisations (RIVCSO), during a recent press briefing in Port Harcourt.
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“What’s worse is that eight months later, we are still pleading for justice,” Georgewill call on the Inspector-General of Police and the Controller-General of Corrections to act swiftly, stating that evidence, including bank records and phone call traces, clearly pointed to individuals operating from within the Enugu prison system.
He also accused law enforcement of dragging their feet despite identifying suspects, including the woman who allegedly lured the victim out of her home, who remains unaccounted for. Yet, in a swift response to mounting public pressure and media scrutiny, the Nigerian Correctional Service issued a statement on Sunday, April 20, vehemently denying any connection to the suspect.
The statement, signed by NCS spokesperson Deputy Controller Umar Abubakar, described the reports as “false, malicious, and a figment of the writer’s imagination. “The Enugu State Command has no inmate named ‘Chiboy’ in any of its facilities,” the statement read. The NCS maintains strict protocols that prevent inmates from operating mobile phones or coordinating criminal activities.
This rebuttal has only deepened tensions, with critics arguing that the NCS statement sidesteps critical questions rather than addressing them. “What of the digital trail traced by the police?” Georgewill retorted. We have a suspect linked to a ransom payment and a prison facility.
Denying his existence only raises more questions. The victim’s father shared how, after the ransom was paid, the kidnappers not only failed to release his daughter but demanded an additional payment. It was only after the police got involved that investigators traced the bank account and phone number to the correctional center in Enugu.
The suspect, reportedly seen by the victim’s father during a visit to the prison, initially denied having access to a phone — until he was confronted with evidence of a video call made to his wife. But shortly after, the suspect grew uncooperative, and police allege he was coached by prison officials to resist further interrogation.
Civil rights advocates are now demanding a broader inquiry into the possible “systemic failure and compromise within the Nigerian prison system, warning that such lapses could allow correctional centers to serve as breeding grounds for criminal activity.
Meanwhile, the family of the kidnapped girl is still waiting without answers or closure. “Every day that passes is a nightmare, I just want my daughter back, and I want those responsible to be held accountable”, said Mr. Ogunsinasi. How can we trust the system if it protects the very people who hurt us? As calls for justice intensify, Nigerians are watching closely to see whether the relevant authorities will act decisively or let this chilling case fade into silence.
