An inmate at the Ikoyi Medium Security Custodial Centre, Lagos (Ikoyi prison), has blamed the death of five inmates in a cell on the carelessness of the prison authorities.
The inmate, who spoke to PUNCH on condition of anonymity, said prison officers did not tell the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, the whole truth about the incident when he visited the facility on Monday.
He explained that it was not the first time there would be an electrical fault at the centre, adding that three weeks earlier, an inmate had suffered a shock.
Five inmates were electrocuted on Monday after what was described as a power surge.
The Controller General of the Nigerian Correctional Service, Ja’afaru Ahmed, had said investigation was ongoing into the incident.
But the inmate, who spoke to our correspondent on Tuesday, said there had been an electric shock before Monday’s incident.
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He noted that the failure of the warders to properly address the problem led to Monday’s tragedy.
The inmate stated, “It happened three weeks ago and somebody was seriously injured. They thought they had addressed the problem.
“Then, on Monday, around past 7am, the problem recurred. It was from the place where they usually plug a fan in the cell.
“A total of 10 inmates were affected. Five inmates died on the spot; one is still talking, but the remaining four are in critical conditions in hospital.”
The cell, meant for 35 inmates, was said to be occupied by 140 inmates.
While lamenting overcrowding in the facility, the source said the Ikoyi correctional centre had become a business venture for some of the officers.
He added, “They are using us to make money. The officers all have investments in that centre. I paid N30,000 for the bed I sleep on and I even share it with another person.
“We are all awaiting trial inmates. When Aregbesola came, they did not allow us to talk. They lied to him and gave him a false impression of the prison.”
The inmate also faulted the judicial process of Lagos State, saying bail conditions had become stringent.
