A woman has been arrested after correctional officers allegedly intercepted a substance suspected to be “Colos” hidden inside a sachet of Milo beverage powder at the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The incident happened at about 1:33pm on Friday, August 28, 2026, during routine screening at the custodial facility’s main entrance.
The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service said the suspicious substance was detected during the screening of items being brought into the facility.
The suspect was identified as Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi. She was reportedly attempting to deliver the package to Dare Sowunmi, an inmate on death row at the facility.
Reports identified the woman as the inmate’s mother.
The NCoS said its officers immediately detained the suspect following the discovery and subsequently handed her over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency for further investigation and possible prosecution.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Odukoya Olayinka, confirmed the incident and said the interception demonstrated the importance of routine security checks at custodial facilities.
Controller of Corrections in Ogun State, Abioye Kamoru Adesina, commended the officers for their vigilance and adherence to security protocols.
Adesina restated the command’s zero-tolerance policy towards drug trafficking and the introduction of prohibited items into correctional facilities.
He said custodial centres were established to protect the public while providing for the reformation and rehabilitation of inmates, warning that attempts to introduce contraband would attract legal consequences.
The latest incident comes weeks after the Ibara facility was rocked by another security controversy involving a death-row inmate.
Elijah Oyebode, who was serving a death sentence, was exposed for allegedly operating TikTok accounts and hosting livestreams from inside the custodial centre.
Reports on the case revealed that Oyebode had interacted with people outside the facility, received virtual gifts and engaged in other activities despite being in custody.
The incident triggered disciplinary measures by the Nigerian Correctional Service, with the Officer-in-Charge of the Ibara Medium Custodial Centre and two other senior officers removed from their positions.
The NCoS said a prohibited mobile phone used by Oyebode had been recovered, while the inmate was transferred to another custodial facility under enhanced security as investigations continued.
The two incidents have renewed questions about the effectiveness of contraband-control measures at custodial facilities, particularly at Ibara.
“Colos”, commonly used as shorthand for Colorado in Nigeria, refers to a synthetic strain of cannabis associated with psychoactive effects. The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has previously reported major seizures of the substance and the discovery of a clandestine facility producing it locally.
In the latest case, however, authorities have described the substance recovered from the Milo sachet as suspected Colos. Its exact composition and quantity will be established through investigation and examination.
The woman remains subject to the investigative and legal process, while the NDLEA is expected to determine whether the substance is illicit and whether additional charges should follow.
The correctional authorities have also warned visitors and members of the public against attempting to bring prohibited substances, phones or other contraband into custodial facilities.
