Death threats, fraud, kidnapping: How Nigerian inmates are running crime syndicates from prison cell

A death threat texted to a Benin City resident late at night was traced not to a criminal hideout — but to an inmate inside Oko Correctional Centre, exposing a disturbing pattern of prison-based organised crime sweeping Nigeria’s custodial facilities, Vanguard reports.

From Kirikiri to Kuje and Warri, investigators have uncovered inmates coordinating internet fraud, extortion, robbery and kidnapping operations using smuggled smartphones and SIM cards.

The scale became undeniable on May 4, 2026, when the Federal Government sanctioned 147 Nigerian Correctional Service officers over contraband offences and ordered destruction of 1,167 confiscated mobile phones recovered nationwide — tools authorities say sustain criminal enterprises from behind bars.