By RismadarVoice Media, December 16, 2025
Yobe State Government has confirmed the existence of a sexual abuse, exploitation syndicate operating within the Potiskum Correctional Centre, describing the development as a grave breach of trust, institutional failure.
The disclosure was made on Tuesday December 16 in Damaturu by Brigadier General Abdulsalam Abubakar (retd.), Adviser on Security Matters to Governor Mai Mala Buni, during a briefing following the state’s Security Council meeting.
Abubakar’s confirmation followed earlier revelations by the National Correctional Service (NCOS), which on December 2 announced the suspension of several officers over alleged involvement in “unprofessional conduct with inmates” at the Potiskum Custodial Centre.
According to the security adviser, investigations revealed that a female inmate was allegedly impregnated by members of the syndicate, underscoring what he described as gross abuse of trust, negligence of duty, lack of proper supervision.
“If a warder can impregnate an inmate, it shows abuse of trust, negligence of duty, lack of proper supervision. If there is supervision, there is no way a male prison warder can go into the female section,” Abubakar said.
He disclosed that the exact number of personnel involved remains unclear, as arrests are ongoing, stressing that the operation goes beyond a single individual.
It is a network; not one person is involved. There are many other collaborators, including female warders,” he added.
Abubakar expressed confidence that officers found culpable in the ongoing investigation by the NCOS headquarters would be handed over to the police for prosecution, noting that the state government has formally taken up the matter with both the management of the NCoS, the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment towards protecting the lives, property, dignity of citizens, including inmates, while partly attributing the abuse to correctional personnel overstaying at their duty posts.
He pledged that the government would continue to resist such “unpatriotic acts,” which he said are sometimes aided by highly placed individuals.
