By The Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) has refuted viral reports claiming there was a bomb explosion at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre in Maiduguri, Borno State. The incident, officials clarified, involved convicted inmate Charles Okah, who deliberately set his mattress ablaze and falsely raised a fire alarm.
According to prison authorities, Okah ignited the mattress using a box of matches and then shouted from his cell window to cause panic. “He lit up his bed and immediately began shouting from the window that there was a fire,” an official revealed.
The facility’s officers responded swiftly, extinguishing the fire before it could spread or cause further damage. Okah was immediately taken to the prison clinic for medical checks and is now said to be recuperating. The burnt mattress has been replaced.
“There is no evidence of any explosive device, and there was no external breach or attack on the facility,” the NCoS firmly stated. “If there had been a bomb blast in Okah’s cell, how come nothing happened to him?”
Officials also dismissed online claims that night-duty officers were absent, saying the staff on duty acted quickly and ensured the safety of all inmates.
Regarding how Okah got hold of the matches, prison authorities suggested he may have picked them up during an Easter church service he was allowed to attend. They described him as a “controversial inmate who frequently creates trouble and problems.”
Charles Okah, who is serving time for his role in the 2010 Independence Day bombing in Abuja, has been held at the Maiduguri facility since March 16, 2025.
