Prison officers arrest man, 40, 'throwing hemp' into Kano custodial centre
- The Nigerian Correctional Service in Kano says it stopped a man trying to throw suspected hemp into Kurmawa prison.
- The 40-year-old, from Janguza Quarters, was held by armed squad officers on Sunday around noon.
- The Controller of Corrections, Ahmed Yusuf-Lakpene, said the suspect was handed to the NDLEA for investigation.
The Nigerian Correctional Service in Kano says its officers stopped a man who allegedly tried to throw a substance suspected to be Indian hemp into the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kurmawa, Kano.
The command's spokesperson, CSC Musbahu Kofarnassarawa, said in a statement on Monday that the incident happened on Sunday at about noon.
He said the suspect is 40 years old and lives in Janguza Quarters, Kano. Officers of the Armed Squad Unit arrested him, acting under the supervision of the unit's commander, CSC Usman M. Sale, according to the statement.
The Controller of Corrections for Kano State, Ahmed Yusuf-Lakpene, said the suspect had been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and necessary action.
He did not say what quantity of the substance was involved, and no charge has been announced. Under Nigerian law, a suspect is presumed innocent until a court says otherwise.
Why it matters
Prisons are meant to be closed to drugs and other banned items. When substances get in, officials say, they undermine the safety of staff and the rehabilitation of inmates.
Yusuf-Lakpene praised the officers for their vigilance and professionalism. He restated the command's zero-tolerance stance on smuggling prohibited items into custodial centres and urged the public to stop trying to bring illicit substances into correctional facilities.
He also said the command would keep strengthening security across its custodial centres so inmates have a safe environment for reformation and rehabilitation.
The Kano case is not the first this year. In August 2026, the service's Ogun State Command said a woman was caught trying to smuggle illicit drugs into the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ibara, Abeokuta.
What happens next
The NDLEA will now take over the case. The agency is expected to investigate and decide whether to charge the suspect. The correctional service says it will keep tightening checks at its facilities.
