February 13, 2025

OpED: When Prisons Become Crime Hubs: The Chilling Case of Inmates Running Robbery Rings in Benin

In a shocking revelation that should send chills down the spine of every Nigerian, an armed robbery in Benin City on January 3, 2025, has exposed a deep-rooted crisis within our prison system—one where inmates, aided by corrupt officials, orchestrate crimes beyond their prison walls.

Africa Parrot correspondent gathered through an exclusive report by Sahara Reporters that a young man fell victim to a gang of armed men who not only stole valuable items but also coerced him into transferring ₦4 million to a PalmPay account.


Frustrated by the lack of progress from the Edo State Police Command, the victim took his case to Ekpan Police Station, where CSP Aliyu Shaba’s crime-fighting reputation gave him renewed hope.

Through geo-analysis, the PalmPay account was traced to the Udu area, leading to the arrest of the account holder. The woman, unsuspecting at first, had opened the account at the request of an online lover who claimed to be an offshore worker.

According to her confession, he later had a woman retrieve the ATM card from her, and shortly after, large sums of money were funneled through the account.

What followed was an advanced police investigation that uncovered something far more sinister: the masterminds were inmates at Warri Correctional Prison.

The DPO and his team raided the facility, only to meet resistance from prison officials who refused to produce one key suspect.

One inmate—already on death row—was presented, but the real shocker was that another prime suspect had been sneaking in and out of custody to commit armed robberies.

This revelation lays bare a systemic rot in Nigeria’s correctional system. Prisons, meant to rehabilitate criminals, have instead become operational bases for organized crime. Corrupt officials, driven by greed, enable criminals to leave prison, commit atrocities, and return as if nothing happened.

This cannot continue. If criminals can walk out of supposedly high-security prisons to rob innocent citizens, then no one is truly safe. Nigeria urgently needs stricter security measures, transparent prison oversight, and an uncompromising crackdown on corrupt officials aiding these crimes.

Failure to act now will only embolden more criminals, turning our correctional facilities into breeding grounds for terror. The time for reform is now.

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