It was a sad moment in the Wadata area of Makurdi, the Benue State capital, yesterday morning when two residents died from electrocution as a result of a sudden electricity surge in the area.
The development was also said to have left three other persons who were badly injured fighting for their lives at an undisclosed hospital.
Sources from the area said the power surge happened suddenly and people rushed helter-skelter to disconnect their appliances.
One of our sources, who gave his name as Joseph Tor, said it was in the process of trying to disconnect their appliances to avoid them being destroyed that the victims got electrocuted.
“A nurse who was working at a private hospital in Makurdi and a Junior Secondary School student was electrocuted in the process of disconnecting their appliances from the power source when they discovered the high voltage.
“One of our neighbours, a nurse, who was said to be using an electric cooker at the time of the high voltage, was electrocuted when she went to disconnect it from the power source in the house. Same sad fate also befell another victim, a young boy who was a Junior Secondary School student,” our source said.
When contacted, the Regional Manager of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) Company, Mr. Felix Adamu, confirmed the report, saying the community had reported the incident.
“Some people from the community have come here to report the case, but we have not gone there to find out the root cause.
“All they told us is what you have, but because the people are restive and there is serious tension in the community, they advised that we should not go there today.
“I know there was electrocution, but I cannot comment on the cause until I go there to inspect it tomorrow, and I have asked the community to take inventory, and we are still waiting for them,”
Adamu said.
On her part, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Catherine Anene, confirmed the incident but said she was yet to get details.
