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.

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.

A Lebanese army officer and two soldiers were killed on Sunday in an ammunition explosion in southern Lebanon, according to a statement issued by the army's Directorate of Guidance.

According to the statement, several civilians were also injured in the explosion that took place "when the ammunition was being transported by a military vehicle in the Braiqaa area, Nabatieh Governorate."

"Specialized army units are conducting the necessary investigations to uncover the circumstances surrounding the incident," the statement added.

A Lebanese security source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that since the start of the cross-border conflict between Hezbollah in Lebanon and Israel on Oct. 8, 2023, the number of Lebanese army personnel killed has reached 49.