Prison Officer Accused of Raping and Impregnating Inmate as Attempted Cover-Up Failsf

A widening scandal has rocked the Potiskum Correctional Centre in Yobe State, where a correctional officer is accused of raping and impregnating an inmate, amid claims that senior officials attempted to suppress the case.

The officer at the centre of the allegations, ASC II Sani Saleh Bodejo of the Nigerian Correctional Service, is accused of sexually assaulting inmate Blessing Sunday while she was in custody at the female section of the facility. Sources within the centre say the assault occurred with the assistance of a female officer assigned to supervise the women’s unit.

Medical personnel have reportedly confirmed that Sunday is now 27 weeks pregnant, further intensifying concerns over how the alleged abuse went undetected for months. Another inmate, identified as Salma, has also accused Bodejo of sexually assaulting her during her incarceration.

Insider accounts indicate that the incident was initially reported to the Controller-General of Corrections through ACG Zone R, Adamu Yahaya, shortly after the information leaked to the zonal command. According to one source, the formal report reached the zonal office in September, when Sunday was about three months pregnant. The zonal authorities are said to have recommended disciplinary action against those implicated.

However, the situation has since escalated amid mounting evidence of an attempted cover-up. Several senior officials—including the State Controller, Abdullah Ibrahim; the Officer-in-Charge of Potiskum Correctional Centre, ACC Ibrahim Tafida; ASC Sani Saleh Bodejo; IC Shaba Auta; and the facility’s housekeeper and yardmaster—have been accused of trying to conceal the incident.

One source revealed that a meeting was allegedly convened by ACC Tafida involving Sunday’s father in an effort to quietly resolve the matter and prevent scrutiny. Following the leak of the allegations, Bodejo was transferred to a non-custodial centre in Jakusko, while Auta was moved to the Yobe State command headquarters, a move insiders describe as an attempt to disperse key figures linked to the case rather than address the allegations.

Despite these internal manoeuvres, the scandal has continued to gain public attention. When contacted, the State Controller, Abdullah Ibrahim, denied any knowledge of the case and immediately ended the call. ACG Adamu Yahaya also declined to comment on the ongoing investigation.

Meanwhile, the Yobe Command’s spokesperson, Abdullahi Adamu, said he would review the matter and provide further clarification, though no official statement has yet been issued.