Former chairman of Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, was allegedly robbed of his wedding ring and wristwatch reportedly worth over N120 million during a raid at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.
According to sources within the facility, the operation was carried out by senior officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service, led by the Deputy Controller-General of Operations alongside officers attached to the prison.
Insiders claimed that suspended former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who is also being detained at the facility, allegedly lost about N2 million during the same operation.
Sources said the officers stormed the prison yard wearing bulletproof vests and accompanied by Department of State Services (DSS) operatives with dogs, causing panic among inmates.
“One of the former chairmen of Skye Bank in Kuje prison was searched and robbed of his wedding ring and wristwatch worth over N120 million by officers in charge of Kuje prison,” a source alleged.
The source further claimed that Abba Kyari was also dispossessed of cash during the exercise.
The incident has reportedly created tension within the correctional centre, with some inmates accusing officials of intimidation and abuse of power.
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Another insider disclosed that Ayeni was considering filing an official petition against the officers allegedly involved in the operation.
The raid was said to have been conducted as part of a search operation inside the custodial centre, but sources alleged that valuables and cash belonging to some high-profile detainees were seized without proper documentation.
Ayeni is currently facing trial over an alleged N15.7 billion fraud case and was recently granted N200 million bail by an Abuja High Court under strict conditions.
Abba Kyari, a suspended former head of the Intelligence Response Team (IRT), is also facing trial over allegations linked to drug trafficking and other offences.
The Kuje Correctional Centre has faced repeated scrutiny in recent years over security concerns, including jailbreak incidents and allegations involving preferential treatment and misconduct among officials.
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