JUST IN: Suspected Bomb Explosion Reportedly Rocks Maiduguri Prison Cell Holding Convicted OCTOBER Bomber, Charles Okah

An explosion rocked the Maximum Security Custodial Centre (MaSCC) in Maiduguri on Sunday night, April 20, 2025, around 9 pm, sparking a fire in the solitary confinement cell where Charles Okah, a prominent detainee, has been held since mid-March.

Initial reports from within the prison indicate that an object, likely a bomb, was lobbed into Okah’s cell through the open window bars.

Eyewitnesses report heavy smoke billowing from the cell, where Okah has been confined since March 16, 2025. The incident follows Okah’s open letter to Nigeria’s Minister of Interior, Olubunmi-Ojo, in which he exposed widespread judicial and official corruption in two custodial centres in Maiduguri.

According to accounts from the scene, Okah was heard coughing and choking amidst the growing smoke, with his screams echoing throughout the compound. He reportedly shouted that the explosive device had been thrown into his cell, sparking the fire that has engulfed his quarters.

At the time of reporting, no rescue efforts were underway. Sources inside the prison have revealed that prison security regulations require a lengthy bureaucratic process before a cell can be opened after hours, leaving Okah’s fate uncertain as the fire rages on.

“Shockingly, not a single fire extinguisher could be found anywhere within the prison compound,” a source said.