Double Tragedy Hits Nanka , Anambra Community As 6 Persons Electrocuted By 33 KVA High Tension During Burial

odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com reports that tragedy struck at Nanka community in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State as six persons were electrocuted by a 33kv high tension wire belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, (EEDC) during top preparation to the burial ceremony of a chieftain of the community, Sir James Ibe. 

One person died instantly, another one allegedly died at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital, (NAUTH) Nnewi while the remaining four others who were in critical condition were rushed to different hospitals at Ekwulobia in Aguata Local Government Area of the same state.

 The high tension wire, it was observed was sagging such that it was lower than even the Low Tension cable and had passed through the premises of the deceased (James).

                       

 When odogwuemekaodogwu.blogspot.com visited the community, tears were flowing
like the river as women were seen rolling on the ground weeping.
Eyewitnesses told our reporter that the tragedy had occurred when the
victims were setting the canopy for the burial ceremony of their
illustrious son. They narrated that the men had lifted the canopy to
place it in the appropriate spot when the tip of the canopy touched
the 33kv high tension wire and got the six severely electrocuted with
one person dying instantly, while others were rushed to the hospitals.
Unconfirmed sources revealed that another victim died at a teaching
hospital in Nnewi, Anambra State.
An eyewitness, Mr Julius Ezeogbo narrated to odogwuemekaodogwu.com
that “the people had set the canopy, and thereafter wanted to shift it
to the other end so that it could be in line. So immediately they
lifted it up in other to carry it over to where it was supposed to be,
it touched the EEDC High Tension wire and six of them were
electrocuted. The High Tension wire is very low; in fact, it was lower
than the Low Tension that is outside the compound. When the wire
touched the canopy, six of them fell down and one died instantly; one
was extremely critical and was rushed to Nnamdi Azikiwe University
Teaching Hospital, Nnewi and others who were very critical were
equally rushed to different hospitals.”
Ezeogbo who doubles as the Secretary-General of Nanka Community
slammed the officials of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company
(EEDC) for their “lackadaisical attitude towards the incident”
regretting that the officials were unperturbed about the situation. He
alleged that the deceased had made concerted efforts towards the
relocation of the high tension line but was charged to pay huge amount
he couldn’t afford at the time.

Hear him:  “We called the NEPA officials immediately. They came but
instead of doing something about it, they started blaming the
community for the incident which they caused. And if you look at the
High Tension wire you’ll see that a part of it has broken loose and
that made it to be lower than the remaining two which were equally
very low. Unknowingly these people fell victims. As it is, the NEPA
people should have forestall its occurrence before this time. That day
they came, we reported the problem but they did not do anything but
warned us that they are going to restore the electricity immediately;
that we should do something about it.

They said it wasn’t their fault.
The High Tension wire was in the middle of the family’s compound. So
I’m using this opportunity to appeal to the government to tell Enugu
Electric Distribution Company officials to with immediate effect come
and remove the High Tension wire inside somebody’s house and stand the
poles where they’re supposed to be to avoid further occurrence.”
“The deceased (Pharm. James Ibe) has reported to the NEPA (EEDC) in
that regard; he has once made an effort to ensure that the High
Tension wire was removed from his compound but the bill they gave him
was too outrageous so he could not afford it at that time. He made an
attempt for it to be taken to the outside. I’m a very good friend of
his. It’s unfortunate that he did not put it in writing; but he met
them. They gave him an amount he could not pay at that time but he was
trying to raise the money before his demise.”

Meanwhile, Mr Ejike Mmokewe, a senior brother to Chekwube who died on
the spot, amid tears told odogwuemekaodogwu.com that they’re now
living in sorrow since the tragedy occurred. He revealed that the
deceased (Chekwube) was preparing to pay the dowry of his heartthrob
as his first marriage failed before he was sent to his early grave,
even as he blamed the officials of the public power supply for “their
carelessness.”
His words: “Their boss came to my workplace and told me that my
brother just died of electrocution. That bad message tore me into
pieces. I couldn’t believe it but when I got to the scene, it was
true. The high tension wire was too low to the ground and it passed
through many compounds. On enquiry I was told that something broke
from the pole but they didn’t repair it, and it has been long. I
equally learnt there that some families had contributed money and paid
to the PHCN (EEDC) for theirs to be relocated.”
“He was preparing to get married because his first marriage was
unsuccessful. He has concluded plans to marry another wife from Ogboji
community. We have fixed a date with the family when we’ll come to pay
the dowry of their daughter. Take a look at the list they gave us for
traditional marriage and others. I don’t even know whether his
proposed wife has gotten this bad news” he added.
Although some villagers blamed the family for not putting enough
pressures on the EEDC, younger brother to the deceased, Mr Ebere Ibe
who spoke on behalf of the family, told odogwuemekaodogwu.com that
their father had taken up the struggle before his elder brother
subsequently toed the same path.
He narrated that “we were preparing for the burial of my elder
brother, so we contracted the decoration of the premises to one
Pathcam Rentals. I was on my own putting other things in place. After
sometime some people ran to me panting; they told me that the
decorators were lifting the canopy in order to set it and
unfortunately it touched the high tension wire. I swiftly rushed to
the scene and behold six persons were down already due to electric
shock.”
“Before now we have made concerted efforts to ensure that the NEPA
(EEDC) comes to remove their line from our house but it was not
successful. It started from my father who made tremendous efforts in
that regard. He wrote series of letters to the concerned authority but
they were not acted upon. Even at a point I personally delved into the
matter. There was a time a pole next to our house bent over because it
was eaten up by termites. We wrote so many letters, and even went
there so many times for them to change it. What they did was to tie it
with a rope to a palm tree close to it so that, according to them, if
it falls, the palm tree could hold it. It took so many years before
they changed it” he revealed.
He continued: “Even as this incident took place, the servicing
engineer came here with his team. So we asked him what could be done
about it. At least we‘ve been saying it before, but now it has claimed
a life. He told us that we would write to them; that they would come
to work on it when they get instruction from a higher office. This is
their property; we have no right to handle it at all. We are now
begging you journalists to come to our aid. This is a huge threat to
so many families. Even this morning alone there was another incidence
of electrocution in the other compound but it didn’t take life. We are
in serious trouble here; we’re living in fear.”
However, other victims could not speak with our reporter on their
hospital beds as they were in critical condition as at the time of
filing this report
When this reporter visited the Enugu Electric Distribution Company in
Ekwulobia which is in charge of the zone, the Business Manager could
not be reached but a senior staff of the company who spoke on the
condition of anonymity as he claimed was not authorised to speak on
the matter, commiserated with the families of people affected by the
incident. But he however declined to answer questions on the series of
allegation levelled against the company by Nanka community referring
this reporter to Enugu State office where he claimed has the answers.

But when contacted on the telephone, the Anambra State Police Public
Relations Officer, Mr Emeka Chukwuemeka confirmed the incidence,
adding that the police are on top of the situation.