ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast — A violent altercation at a prison in Ivory Coast led to the death of five inmates, officials reported on Wednesday. The incident unfolded when a standard security operation at the Bouake prison was met with aggression from the incarcerated individuals. The city of Bouake ranks as the second largest in the country.
According to a statement by public prosecutor Abel Nangbelé Yeo, prisoners responded with “hostility” during a routine inspection aimed at uncovering forbidden items. The conflict escalated with five inmate fatalities and left 29 individuals injured, which included six prison officers and 23 inmates.
Upon entering the facility, security personnel were targeted by prisoners wielding clubs, machetes, and other makeshift weapons. In an attempt to retreat and defuse the situation, officers discharged warning shots, though the details surrounding how fatalities occurred were not disclosed in the report.
The search operation resulted in the confiscation of various contraband, including cannabis bricks, Tramadol tablets, mobile phones, and even three grenades.
Ivory Coast has been under scrutiny from human rights organizations and the United Nations for the state of its prison facilities. In the previous year, the U.N. Committee against Torture expressed concerns over severe overcrowding in Ivorian prisons. Criticism was also directed at the lack of basic amenities such as sanitation, ventilation, as well as inadequate food and water quality. The committee also voiced alarm at the significant level of violence occurring within these institutions.
Prior incidents at the Bouake prison include the death of an inmate earlier this year during an escape attempt.
Further investigations into the recent turmoil are being conducted by the public prosecutor’s office, as stated on Tuesday.