No Fire Extinguisher As Explosion Hits Maiduguri Prison

An explosion triggered a fire in Charles Okah’s cell at the Maiduguri prison, caused panic among inmates, and raised fears of a possible prison break.

An explosion happened at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Maiduguri on Sunday night, April 20, 2025, around 9 p.m.

The blast started a fire in the solitary confinement cell where Charles Okah has been held since mid-March. He has been in that cell since March 16.

People inside the prison believe that the explosion might have been caused by a bomb thrown through the window bars into Okah’s cell. Witnesses saw thick smoke rising from his cell. This event happened shortly after Okah wrote a letter to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi-Ojo, where he revealed corruption inside two prisons in Maiduguri.

Sources at the prison said they heard Okah coughing and struggling to breathe in the smoke. His voice echoed through the prison as he cried out, saying that someone had thrown an explosive into his cell and it caused the fire.

At the time the fire was spreading, there were no efforts to rescue him. Some insiders said that prison rules make it very hard to unlock a cell at night. Because of this, it was unclear what would happen to Okah as the flames grew stronger.

“Shockingly, not a single fire extinguisher could be found anywhere within the prison compound,” one person at the scene reported. “Similarly, night-duty officers seemed absent. Many inmates with medical conditions, such as asthma, risk dying before help could arrive at dawn.”

The fire and the lack of emergency response caused panic among the prisoners. Many were afraid the fire might reach their cells. Some of them might even try to break out of their cells to save themselves from the smoke and flames.

Prison staff are now worried that the fire could lead to a prison break if it’s not stopped soon. With no quick action taken, the situation is becoming more dangerous, and the pressure on the authorities is increasing.

Charles Okah is currently serving a life sentence for his involvement in the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja and another bombing in Warri. His case continues to draw attention, and this recent incident has raised new concerns about how secure Nigeria’s prisons are, especially for high-profile prisoners.
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