Two inmates awaiting trial at the Uyo Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom State have lost their lives following an explosion from a faulty transformer located close to the correctional facility.
Two other inmates sustained injuries in the incident.
The blast, reportedly triggered by a surge in high-voltage electricity, caused a power outage that lasted several days and destroyed electrical appliances within the centre. According to reports, a high-tension wire snapped and fell on a section of the facility, electrocuting the victims.
Confirming the tragedy on Thursday, the Akwa Ibom State Controller of Corrections, Frank Okonkwo, described the incident as “very unfortunate,” adding that it caused significant damage to the centre’s equipment, barracks, and staff quarters.
“When the explosion occurred, officials from PHEDC said it was due to excessive voltage. It destroyed all our electrical appliances, including computers,”
Okonkwo said. “Sadly, two inmates were affected and thrown off from where they were sitting. Our medical team administered first aid and rushed them to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, but they were later confirmed dead.”
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He revealed that the deceased inmates were awaiting trial for conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery, but were presumed innocent until proven guilty.
‘Families of the victims have been notified, and one has completed the process to reclaim the body. However, the corpses will only be released after the ongoing investigation is concluded,” he added.
Okonkwo recalled that the same transformer had developed faults in previous years and called on the relevant authorities to urgently fix the recurring issue to prevent future tragedies.
Meanwhile, he disclosed that the command is preparing a rehabilitation and empowerment programme for inmates nearing release.
The initiative will support about 30 rehabilitated inmates who have acquired vocational skills such as tailoring, carpentry, welding, and barbing during their incarceration.
“These are inmates who have accepted our rehabilitation programmes and are ready to reintegrate into society. We want to give them start-up packs to help them become self-reliant and avoid reoffending,” he explained.
The Uyo Custodial Centre, a medium-security facility under the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), has long struggled with infrastructural decay, erratic electricity supply, and overcrowding, issues that continue to hamper operations and inmate welfare.
