Passport Scandal: Convicted Robber Caught Applying for Visa While in Prison

The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has launched an investigation after a convicted armed robber, Haruna Ayo, was discovered processing a passport and visa at a Nigeria Immigration Service office in Lagos while still serving time at Kirikiri Maximum Security Custodial Centre.

The incident occurred on Wednesday, May 19, 2025, when Ayo—serving a sentence for armed robbery—was reportedly taken under suspicious circumstances to the NIS passport office in FESTAC Town by warders. Originally sentenced to life, Ayo’s jail term was reduced to 21 years and was later further shortened. His official release date was set for October 11, 2025.

Sources said Ayo was among a group of five convicts sent to do chores at the residence of the officer-in-charge of the custodial centre on the same day. During the outing, a superior officer reportedly instructed a warder to take Ayo to the passport office, allegedly under the guise of a medical appointment.

However, his presence raised alarm when the accompanying officer expressed a desire to return him to prison after becoming impatient. Immigration officials, suspicious of the situation, detained both Ayo and the warder, and alerted the NCoS headquarters.

Further revelations indicate that Ayo had used false medical claims over time to orchestrate the travel document process, with alleged help from compromised hospital staff and prison officers. Internal investigations also revealed he had cleared multiple fraudulent medical evaluations to secure outings.

Two NCoS officers, including one identified as “Femi,” have been suspended, though insiders argue that the suspension may not address the broader network of complicity within the system.

Officials at the national headquarters confirmed the development. NCoS spokesperson Abubakar Umar stated that disciplinary procedures had begun and investigations were underway. He emphasized the agency’s zero-tolerance stance on misconduct and promised that more information would be released once the probe is complete.

The scandal has triggered public outrage, especially from legal and human rights experts, who questioned how a serving inmate could access immigration services without detection. Critics also condemned the practice of allowing inmates to carry out personal errands for top prison officials.

Human rights lawyer Inibehe Effiong called it an “egregious violation” of custodial ethics, stating that an inmate’s liberty is not negotiable outside legal or judicial orders. Similarly, senior lawyer Dr. Monday Ubani (SAN) described the situation as a “grave abuse of the justice system,” urging reforms and stricter internal controls within the prison system.

Legal practitioners warned that such incidents could embolden inmates, compromise security, and damage the integrity of Nigeria’s correctional framework if left unchecked.