The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) in Bayelsa has denied claims that ex-First Lady Patience Jonathan illegally detained 15 of her former domestic staff at the Okaka Custodial Centre.
Reports earlier surfaced that 15 of Patience Jonathan’s former domestic workers have been illegally detained at the Okaka Custodial Centre since 2019.
According to the allegations, the workers were accused of stealing valuable items, including seven gold bangles, five Samsung air conditioners, two sets of upholstery chairs, and six Samsung flat-screen televisions, amounting to a total value of N200 million.
Additionally, they were said to be facing 18 counts, including conspiracy to commit m*rder, conspiracy to commit a felony, and burglary.
However, the Bayelsa state command of the Nigerian Correctional Service has strongly denied the claims. In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson for the Okaka Custodial Centre, Isari Gbosi Tombara, dismissed the allegations as “unfounded” and designed to tarnish the reputation of the correctional service.
Tombara also addressed the speculation about a closed-door meeting between Patience Jonathan and top officials of the NCoS in Bayelsa. He clarified that no such meeting took place, as claimed in some reports.
The NCoS spokesperson further reassured the public that the detained workers have been treated humanely and their fundamental rights respected while in custody.
“They were in court on the 10th and 11th of March 2025, and the last time they attended court was Thursday, 3rd April 2025, where the matter was adjourned to 17th April 2025,” Tombara stated.
Tombara emphasized that no one can be admitted into any custodial centre in Nigeria without a valid remand warrant from a competent court.
He reaffirmed that the detainees were all accompanied by valid court orders when they were remanded to custody, further stating that their detention was entirely legal.
“The command noted that no one can be admitted into any custodial centre in Nigeria without a valid warrant from a competent court of jurisdiction; on this note, they are not in our custody illegally,” the statement reads.
The statement also assured that the Okaka Medium Security Custodial Centre remains one of the most peaceful custodial facilities in the country. “The command is peaceful, and no chaos exists in our facility. We advise that these reports should be disregarded,” Tombara added.
The NCoS further reiterated its commitment to ensuring the safe and humane custody of all legally interned persons. Under the leadership of Sylvester Ndidi Nwakuche, the acting controller-general of corrections, the service remains focused on the reformation, rehabilitation, and reintegration of detainees into society.
The NCoS concluded by urging the public to ignore any misleading reports and emphasized that their operations are transparent, lawful, and in the best interest of justice.
