Tension As Skye Bank Ex-Chair Ayeni Loses ₦120 Million Watch Inside Kuje Prison

Former Chairman of Skye Bank Plc, Tunde Ayeni, was allegedly dispossessed of his wedding ring and an expensive wristwatch said to be worth over ₦120 million during a raid at the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja.

According to SaharaReporters, sources within the correctional facility claimed that the items were allegedly taken by senior officials of the Nigerian Correctional Service during what authorities reportedly described as a search operation inside the custodial centre.

Naija News learnt that suspended former Deputy Commissioner of Police, Abba Kyari, who is also being held at the facility, lost about ₦2 million during the same operation.

Multiple sources reportedly told the media that the operation was carried out by officials led by the Deputy Controller-General of Operations, alongside officers in charge of the Kuje facility.

According to insiders, the officers stormed the prison yard with operatives said to have been accompanied by Department of State Services dogs.

The officers were also said to have worn bulletproof vests during the operation, a development that reportedly caused panic among inmates.

One of the sources alleged that Ayeni was searched during the raid and dispossessed of his wedding ring and wristwatch.

The source said, “One of the former chairmen of Skye Bank in Kuje prison was searched and robbed of his wedding ring and wristwatch worth over ₦120 million by officers in charge of Kuje prison.

“Abba Kyari was also robbed of his money, about ₦2 million, by the same officers. They came into the yard with DSS dogs and bulletproof vests during the operation.”

The source added that the incident had created tension within the facility, with some inmates accusing the officers involved of intimidation and abuse of power.

Another source familiar with the development said Ayeni was considering filing an official petition against the officers allegedly involved in the operation.

“The bank chairman wants to petition them as I speak to you,” the source said.

It was gathered that the incident occurred during a search operation within the correctional centre.

However, insiders alleged that cash and valuables belonging to some high-profile detainees were confiscated without proper documentation or accountability.

The claims could not be independently verified as of the time of filing this report.

The Kuje Correctional Centre has repeatedly attracted public attention over security controversies, including previous jailbreak incidents and allegations of preferential treatment and abuse involving high-profile detainees.

The latest allegations have again raised questions about accountability, inmate welfare and the conduct of security operations within custodial facilities.

Ayeni, a businessman and former chairman of the defunct Skye Bank Plc, remains a notable figure in Nigeria’s corporate and financial sector.

He is currently facing trial over alleged fraud involving about ₦15.7 billion.

He was recently granted bail of ₦200m by an Abuja High Court, with strict conditions, including sureties who must be federal civil servants and one bank guarantee of ₦15 billion.

Kyari, a suspended former Deputy Commissioner of Police and former head of the Intelligence Response Team, is currently facing trial over allegations linked to drug trafficking and other offences.

He was one of the high-profile detainees allegedly affected during the raid.

However, the Nigerian Correctional Service had yet to issue an official response to the allegations as of the time of filing this report.