Two Inmates Die, Others Injured as Transformer Explosion Rocks Akwa Ibom Custodial Centre

Tragedy struck at the Akwa Ibom State Custodial Centre in Uyo after a malfunctioning transformer exploded, claiming the lives of two inmates awaiting trial and leaving two others injured.

According to The PUNCH, the incident occurred about two weeks ago and caused a total blackout in the facility, destroying several electrical appliances and disrupting operations for days.

Reports revealed that a high-voltage wire snapped and fell directly on a section of the custodial centre, electrocuting the inmates. The explosion was traced to excessive voltage from the transformer serving the area.

Confirming the incident on Thursday, Frank Okonkwo, the Akwa Ibom State Controller of Corrections, described the event as “unfortunate and painful.” He said the victims were flung from where they sat before being rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed them dead.

“It was very unfortunate. The explosion caused a lot of damage to our facility and even affected the barracks and official residence of the officer in charge,” Okonkwo said.
“The most painful aspect was that it affected two of our inmates, who were awaiting trial. They were presumed innocent until proven otherwise.”

He added that the victims were standing trial for conspiracy, kidnapping, and armed robbery, and that their families had been contacted. One family had already begun the process of retrieving the body, but the correctional command will only release the corpses after investigations are concluded.

The Controller further disclosed that officials of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) confirmed the explosion was caused by excessive voltage, noting that a similar fault had occurred years ago. He appealed to relevant authorities to urgently address the recurring transformer issue to prevent future tragedies.

Despite the devastating loss, Okonkwo highlighted the command’s ongoing efforts to rehabilitate inmates. He announced a planned empowerment and reintegration programme aimed at supporting inmates who had acquired skills such as tailoring, carpentry, welding, and barbing.

“We are targeting 30 inmates for now because of funding limitations. These are individuals who have embraced rehabilitation and will soon be discharged. We want to give them start-up packs so they can live meaningful lives and avoid reoffending,” he said.

The Uyo Custodial Centre, one of Nigeria’s medium-security correctional facilities, has long struggled with aging infrastructure, unreliable power supply, and overcrowding—challenges that continue to threaten the safety and welfare of both inmates and staff.