Charles Okah Seeks ₦1bn in Damages Over ‘Torture and Neglect’ in Maiduguri Prison

Charles Okah, the convicted mastermind of the 2010 Independence Day twin bombings in Abuja, is preparing to file a ₦1 billion fundamental human rights lawsuit against the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS). He is alleging prolonged torture, persecution, and medical neglect while in custody at the Maximum Security Custodial Centre (MaSCC) in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Okah, who is serving a life sentence, claims to have endured over 190 consecutive days in solitary confinement—far exceeding the 15-day limit outlined in the United Nations’ Nelson Mandela Rules on the treatment of prisoners.

Family sources say the 67-year-old, who suffers from hypertension and has lived with only one kidney since donating the other in 1982, has been denied essential medical care, regular exercise, and access to life-saving treatment.

Fallout from Whistleblowing

The alleged mistreatment reportedly began in March 2025 after Okah wrote an open letter to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo. In the letter, he accused senior prison officials of operating a bribery ring within MaSCC, claiming they forged court documents to unlawfully reduce fines, shorten sentences, and release inmates in exchange for cash—bypassing the due process of appeals and clemency from the Borno State governor.

Instead of probing the allegations, prison authorities allegedly retaliated. On March 16, 2025, Okah was placed in punitive solitary confinement and pressured to retract his claims. He refused. “They told him the directive came from Abuja,” a source close to the family revealed. “But none of the officers he named has been investigated or sanctioned.”

Health Crisis and Continued Isolation

Okah’s condition reportedly worsened in custody. On August 16, 2025, he suffered a stroke and was rushed to the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Doctors recommended an urgent MRI scan, but prison officials allegedly failed to release the required funds. He was returned to solitary confinement despite being partially paralyzed.

“For six months, he’s been locked up 24 hours a day, with no access to fresh air or physical movement,” a family member said. “This is no longer incarceration—it’s slow, calculated torture.”

Legal Action and Human Rights Petition

The Okah family has submitted a formal petition to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) and is finalizing a ₦1 billion lawsuit at the Federal High Court in Abuja. They allege cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment in violation of both Nigerian laws and international human rights standards.

Sources close to the family suggest that prominent human rights lawyers, such as Femi Falana (SAN) or Festus Keyamo (SAN), may lead the legal team.

Okah, through his family, insists that his only “crime” was speaking out against corruption within the prison system. “Instead of addressing the rot, they are trying to silence him,” a relative said.