Nine Kiririkiri prison’s officers suspended over Aroke’s $1m internet scam

THE Civil Defence, Correctional, Fire and Immigration Services Board (CDCFIB) has approved the suspension of three officers and six other ranks of the Nigeria Correctional Service (NCS) implicated in an alleged internet fraud by an inmate of the Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Lagos.

The Public Relations Officer of NCS, Mr Francis Enobore, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the Controller-General of NCS, Mr Ja’afaru Ahmed, had ordered a comprehensive investigation into an alleged internet fraud of $1 million by a convicted inmate in Kirikiri.

NAN also reported that Mr Ahmed had assured members of the public that if any person was found to have been involved in the act, the culprit would face the consequences as prescribed by the law.

The fraud was suspected to have been perpetrated by Hope Aroke, an inmate serving a term of imprisonment.

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Enobore said, “This is based on the preliminary report of the investigation panel earlier constituted by the controller-general, which indicted the officers of complicity in the scandal.”

The NCS spokesman said the CG, who handed down the suspension order, noted that the task of correcting maladjusted persons in the society requires a measure of moral rectitude to make a positive impact on offenders in custody.
He restated the commitment of the NCS towards ensuring that those without adequate strength of character and integrity are not allowed to taint the sanctity of the service.