The development comes amid an investigation into allegations that some inmates were leaving the facility to commit crimes.
No fewer than 150 prisoners have been transferred from Okere Correctional Facility Centre in Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State facility to various prisons in northern Nigeria, SaharaReporters has learnt.
The development comes amid an investigation into allegations that some inmates were leaving the facility to commit crimes.
SaharaReporters previously exposed widespread fraud, blackmail, and corruption at Okere Correctional Facility in Warri, Delta State. Reports reveal that inmates have access to mobile phones, bank accounts, and private meeting spaces for illegal activities, raising serious concerns about prison security.
One victim unknowingly became romantically involved with an inmate, Perez Ekiyor, after meeting him on Facebook in 2019. She opened a bank account for him and later discovered large sums of money being deposited. When she tried to end the relationship, he retaliated by leaking their private conversations and explicit photos online.
Another woman nearly fell for a similar scam in 2023 when an inmate, posing as a worker in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, built an emotional connection with her and later attempted to extort ₦200,000.
A prison officer intervened, warning her that the man had been incarcerated since 2020 and was part of a known fraud ring.
Further investigations linked Okere inmates to a robbery on January 3, 2025, in which criminals stole valuables and transferred ₦4 million from a victim’s account. Police traced the crime to the prison but faced resistance from officials before eventually arresting a death row inmate who confessed to masterminding the scheme.
Sources informed SaharaReporters on Monday that at least 150 prisoners have been transferred from Okere in Warri to various prisons in northern Nigeria.
For instance, a relative of one of the transferred inmates confirmed the development, revealing that the inmate, previously held at Okere, is now in Kano Prison.
The relation added that the inmate called the family to inform them about the mass transfer and the harsh conditions they are facing in their new locations.
“I tell you authoritatively, that at least 150 inmates were moved from Okere Correctional Centre to the North. One relation that was in Okere before is now in Kano Prison. He calls from there.
“He said since the day they were moved there, they have been distributed to different areas. Since then, they have not been able to eat anything apart from Garri because they don’t know how to eat their food yet.
“When we raised the alarm about people leaving the facility to commit crimes, rob, and kidnap, the issue was investigated. But nothing was done about it. We were one of those who raised the concern,” the source added.
An official who confirmed the inmate transfers to SaharaReporters claimed that they are part of routine procedures, adding that the prison has refused to disclose further details.
The source noted that some inmates had been serving their sentences close to home, which allowed for occasional family visits. However, their relocation to distant facilities will make maintaining contact increasingly difficult.
“It’s their routine, and they sometimes do it that way. They don’t want to disclose any information regarding it because some individuals are serving their sentences close to their homes. Sometimes, this arrangement doesn’t work well.
“In some cases, inmates still have access to visits from their families. However, if they are transferred far away, they will have no choice but to receive visits only occasionally.
“I believe SaharaReporters’ revelation is what caused all of this,” the source said.
However, Umar Abubakar, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Correctional Service, confirmed the inmate transfer to SaharaReporters on Monday, but added that it is part of the process to decongest correctional facilities.
“Yes, it’s a routine matter. Don’t forget that we have been discussing the issue of congestion in Nigerian correctional facilities. When we determine that a particular custodial center is overcrowded, the Controller General has the authority to transfer inmates from one custodial centre to another, as long as they are convicts,” he said.
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