At least four inmates have reportedly been killed in an electrocution incident at the Ikoyi custodial facility, Lagos state, Southwest Nigeria.
Details surrounding the incident are still unclear, but according to an eyewitness, the deaths occurred early Monday morning, December 2.
Many others, with various degrees of injuries, were said to have been rushed to the hospital unconscious.
The unnamed victims were said to have been electrocuted at the B Ward (B4) cell. Ikoyi prisons has 6 wards namely, Wards A, B, C, D, E and F.
It was gathered that the inmates died while having the breakfast served on them by authorities of the prison.
When contacted, spokesman for the Ikoyi prisons, SP Rotimi Oladokun, declined comments. He subsequently hung up on our reporter and switched off his phone.
But an official of the prisons, who craved anonymity for fear of being victimized, blamed the incident on negligence on the part of the chief warden, Julius Abosede.
“The chief warden was informed of the electric shocking issues before this morning that the incident occurred. He failed to do anything about it simply because he felt the inmates numbering over 130 in the cell were lying”, he said.
“Julius Abosede (chief warden) is the most corrupt person in Ikoyi prison.
“As a yard keeper, he is aware of the partial shocking incidents before it led to this major one that took lives.
“He once told the inmates to bring money for the repairs.
“The cell that the incident happened was built to take 30 inmates but currently has over 130 inmates.
“The prison facility was built to house 800 inmates. But the Ikoyi Correctional facility has over 3,000 inmates as we speak.”
The official further disclosed that the Comptroller of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Lagos state command, Noel Ailewon, had visited the scene of the incident.
“He (Noel Ailewon) did an on-spot assessment this morning.
“He also talked about decongesting the highly congested situation of the prison,” the official added.
