Mother Arrested After Prison Officers Allegedly Find Suspected Drugs in Drink Sachet Meant for Death-Row Son

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A woman has been arrested after correctional officers at the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Ibara, Abeokuta, Ogun State, allegedly discovered a substance suspected to be a psychoactive drug hidden inside a sachet of beverage powder intended for her son, who is being held on death row.

The woman, identified as Mrs Iyabo Sowunmi, was reportedly detained during routine screening at the main entrance of the correctional facility at about 1:33 p.m. on Friday, August 28, 2026.

The Ogun State Command of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) announced the arrest on Monday, saying its officers intercepted the suspected contraband before it could enter the custodial facility.

According to the command’s spokesperson, Olayinka Odukoya, officers allegedly discovered a substance suspected to be “Colos,” a psychoactive synthetic substance, concealed inside a sachet of a popular powdered beverage.

Some reports have identified the beverage sachet as Milo, although authorities have not publicly confirmed the specific brand as part of the evidence.

The package was reportedly intended for Dare Sowunmi, who is being held at the facility as a death-row inmate.

Correctional officers reportedly stopped Mrs Sowunmi during the screening process after identifying the suspicious package. She was subsequently detained and handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) for further investigation and possible prosecution.

The suspected substance has not been established as a controlled drug through a final forensic determination publicly released by authorities. Its exact composition and quantity are therefore matters for investigators and laboratory analysis.

The incident has nevertheless raised fresh concerns about attempts to introduce prohibited substances and other contraband into correctional facilities.

The Correctional Service said the interception demonstrated the importance of strict screening procedures at custodial centres, particularly during visits and the delivery of food and other items to inmates.

The command reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward prohibited items, warning visitors and members of the public that anyone caught attempting to introduce banned substances or other illegal materials into a correctional facility could face investigation and prosecution.

The intended recipient, Dare Sowunmi, is reportedly serving time on death row at the Abeokuta facility.

Court records previously reported by Nigerian media show that an Abeokuta High Court in January 2021 sentenced a man bearing the same name, then aged 27, to death by hanging after convicting him and another defendant in connection with conspiracy and armed robbery.

The case reportedly concerned a 2019 robbery attack at the Legislative Quarters in Ibara, Abeokuta.

However, the Correctional Service’s latest announcement did not provide further details about the inmate’s conviction beyond identifying him as the intended recipient of the package.

Mrs Sowunmi has not publicly commented on the allegation.

The NDLEA had also not released a separate public statement detailing any charges against her at the time of publication.

The arrest therefore remains part of an ongoing investigation, and the allegation against Mrs Sowunmi has not been tested in court.

The development comes as correctional authorities continue to strengthen screening measures designed to prevent drugs, weapons, mobile phones and other prohibited materials from entering custodial facilities.

For visitors, the incident serves as a reminder that items taken into correctional centres are subject to security checks and must comply with the rules governing visits and inmate welfare packages.

Authorities have urged members of the public to cooperate with correctional officers during screening and warned against attempting to conceal prohibited materials inside food, drinks or other packages.

Investigators are expected to determine the nature of the substance recovered, how it was obtained, who supplied it and whether anyone else was involved in the alleged attempt to take it into the facility.

The case could also result in further arrests if investigators establish that other individuals participated in supplying or transporting the suspected substance.

For now, the key facts are that a woman was detained during screening at the Ibara custodial centre, officers reported finding a substance they suspected to be a psychoactive drug in a beverage sachet, and the woman was subsequently transferred to the NDLEA for investigation.

The investigation remains ongoing.