Prisons officer sacked for taking inmate pics, uploads online
The Nigeria Correctional Service (NCoS) has fired an officer, ASC 1 Efe Onakpoya, for taking unauthorized photographs of an inmate at the Medium Security Custodial Centre (MSCC) in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, and uploading them to the internet.
In a statement issued by the Service’s spokesperson, Abubakar Umar, the NCoS denied circulating claims that the officer was punished for exposing an inmate who was allegedly taken outside the facility for conjugal activity, while the personnel behind the act was spared.
Umar described the viral reports as false and damaging to the image of the Service.
“The officer in question, ASC 1 Efe Onakpoya, with service number 57790, was dismissed after a thorough disciplinary investigation. He was found guilty of misconduct for taking unauthorized snapshots of an inmate, Ibuchi Okoro Eze, within the barracks and posting them online,” the statement partly read.
The Service also debunked Onakpoya’s counter-claims, particularly his allegation that an inmate was escorted out of custody for private intimacy with a lover — an accusation the NCoS labeled as malicious and baseless.
Umar emphasized the agency’s commitment to discipline and professionalism, stating, “The Nigerian Correctional Service remains steadfast in upholding the highest standards of conduct. We will not tolerate any behavior that undermines the integrity of our operations.”
He added that the NCoS does not operate a hotel, countering another narrative suggesting that the facility was being used inappropriately
