By Patrick Titus, Uyo
Two awaiting trial inmates at the Uyo Custodial Centre in Akwa Ibom State have been confirmed dead after they were electrocuted following explosion from electricity transformer that supplies power to the Centre.
The transformer owned by the Port Harcourt Electricity Distributing Company (PHeD) is located near the Centre which is also few meters away from the Akwa Ibom State Government House in Uyo.
The Comptroller of Nigeria Correctional Service, NCoS, Akwa Ibom State Command, Mr. Frank Okonkwo who confirmed the tragic incident, said that apart from the two who died, others including officials of the facility were injured from the explosion.
According to Mr. Okonkwo, the incident occurred fortnight ago as a result of electricity surge from a faulty transmission that fed the Uyo Custodial Centre.
He expressed sadness over the incident, adding that electrical appliances and electronics at the facility were not spared either, making it a huge loss to the Command.
It was learnt that there was an explosion of a nearby transformer, which is also few meters away from Akwa Ibom State Government House a fortnight ago prompting a high voltage wire to snap and drop at a portion of NCoS facility, causing total blackout in the area.
The NCoS State Comptroller explained that the Centre was worse hit, narrating at the moment the tragic incident occurred.
He recalled that during the explosion the two deceased victims were thrown up where they were sitting and when they were later rushed to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital by the facility’s doctor after administration of first aid, they were pronounced dead.
Okonkwo said though the victims were awaiting trials for conspiracy, kidnapping and armed robbery; they were presumed innocent until proven otherwise by the Court describing the situation as unfortunate.
He said the families have been contacted and one of them has concluded the processes for retrieval the remains, saying that the command would only release the corpse upon completion of investigations.
His words, “It was very unfortunate, because the thing caused a lot of damage, both to our facility and the families of the deceased.
“When that explosion occurred at the transformer sight, officials of PHeD who came, said the explosion was as a result of high voltage. The thing affected us in that it actually destroyed or damaged all electrical appliances, computers etc in our facility.
“It affected our Barracks as well, and even the official residence of the officer in charge. But the most painful aspect of it was that it affected two of our inmates that finally lost their life as they were rushed to the hospital.
“They were thrown off from where they were staying, and immediately our medical personnel administered first aid in them, and rushed them to the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, they were later confirmed dead.
“It was a big loss, both to us and families of the inmates especially when they were just awaiting trial, one of them was standing trial for conspiracy and kidnapping, the other one for armed robbery.”
The Comptroller who recalled that same transformer was faulty few years back, though no life was lost. He called on relevant authority to address the issue to forestall reoccurrence.
He added that the legal department was investigating the matter and would present a comprehensive report accordingly.
He also disclosed plans by the command to organize a rehabilitation and empowerment programme for inmates who have gone through the Centre’s rehabilitation process and acquired some skills to be given start-ups packs to enable them be fully integrated when they are eventually discharged into the larger society.
According to him, the programme would enable them to be useful to themselves as well as the community so that they don’t have any cause to reoffend and come back to the Custodial Centre again.
“We are looking at 30 for now because the financing is going to be huge. We rely mainly on the goodwill of our donors and organisations, for those who have acquired various skills like tailoring, carpentry, barbing and welding while in our custody. We intend to draw the beneficiaries from various Custodial Centres, Uyo, Ikot Abasi, Ikot Ekpene and Eket.
“Those who are serving terms but are on the verge of being discharged between now and December, are convicts who have successfully accepted our treatment regime by getting themselves usefully engaged when they were in our custody. Those are the ones we want to show appreciation to, by organising this programme.
He described the NCoS as gender sensitive, adding that some of the female inmates have also undergone training on various skills including weaving and pastries saying the rehabilitation and empowerment programme was not only for male inmates but also for females as well.
