There is a major cover-up at Potiskum Correctional Centre as an officer of the Nigerian Correctional Service, NCoS, Yobe Command, Sani Saleh-Bodejo, allegedly raped and impregnated an inmate, Blessing Sunday.
According to DECENCY GLOBAL NEWS, it was gathered that Mr Bodejo, an Assistant Superintendent of Correctional Services (ASC II), allegedly committed the crime with the support of a female officer guarding the female section.
The officer, who is the yardmaster of the facility, is also accused of raping another convicted inmate identified as Salma.
It was further gathered that doctors recently said Ms Sunday’s pregnancy was at 27 weeks of gestation.
Sources, however, said some top officials of the command are bent on covering up the scandal by aborting the pregnancy despite the grave risks.
Insider sources said the incident has been reported to the Controller-General of Corrections through the ACG Zone R, Adamu Yahaya.
The source said the controller officially reported the incident to Mr Yahaya in September shortly after the matter was leaked to the zonal command.
“At the time of the official report, Blessings Sunday was approximately 3 months and 2 weeks pregnant,” the source said.
“It was only when ACG Zone R, Adamu Yahaya, visited for other issues that the case was brought to his attention,” the source added.
The zonal office has also reportedly recommended disciplinary action against the erring officers.
According to the sources, some of the officials indicted in the alleged cover-up plot include the State Controller Abdullah Ibrahim; the Officer-in-Charge of Potiskum Prison, ACC Ibrahim Tafida; ASC Sani Seleh Bodejo, the alleged culprit.
Others are IC Shaba Auta, who has now been [transferred to the state controller’s office], the housekeeper; and the yardmaster.
Another source familiar with the matter said “a meeting was initiated by the in-charge Ibrahim Tafida involving the father of Blessing’s Sunday in a bid to sweep the case under the carpet.”
“The in-charge and state controller are attempting to cover up the incident by transferring the indicted officers to other locations. ASC II Sani Saleh Bodejo, the rapist officer, was transferred to a non-custodial center at Jakusko, Yobe State, while IC Shaba Auta was moved to the state controller’s office.”
When contacted, the state controller of the Nigeria Correctional Services, NCoS, Yobe Command, Abdullahi Ibrahim, denied knowledge of the rape case.
“I’m not aware of the incident”, he responded and hung up the call.
Similarly, the ACG, Zone R, Adamu Yahaya, declined to comment on the matter.
The Yobe Command spokesman Abdullahi Adamu, however, said he would investigate the matter and revert.
