Ivory Coast prison search turns deadly—5 inmates killed, 29 injured amid violent clash.

A routine contraband search at a prison in Ivory Coast escalated into a deadly confrontation on Tuesday, resulting in the deaths of five inmates, authorities confirmed on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by Prosecutor Abel Nangbelé Yeo, the incident occurred in Bouaké, the country’s second-largest city, where inmates responded with marked hostility to the scheduled inspection. The statement detailed that five prisoners lost their lives, while 29 individuals sustained injuries—this included six prison officers and 23 inmates.

The clash reportedly began when security officers entered the facility to carry out the search. They were immediately met with violent resistance from inmates wielding clubs, machetes, and other blunt weapons, the statement said. In an attempt to retreat, the officers discharged warning shots, though the statement did not specify the circumstances under which the five prisoners were fatally injured.

During the search operation, officials reportedly seized blocks of cannabis, a number of Tramadol tablets, mobile phones, and three grenades.

This incident adds to ongoing concerns about the state of Ivory Coast’s prison system, which has long drawn criticism from human rights organizations and the United Nations. Last year, the UN Committee Against Torture expressed alarm over the "very high rate" of prison overcrowding in Côte d'Ivoire, highlighting issues such as poor hygiene, inadequate ventilation, and insufficient access to food and clean water. The Committee also condemned what it described as "the extent of violence in prisons."

This is not the first violent episode in Bouaké prison this year. Earlier in 2025, a prisoner reportedly died during an attempted escape. Following Tuesday’s incident, the public prosecutor’s office announced that it has launched an investigation to uncover the full details surrounding the clash and the resulting fatalities.