Relatives of the 15 year old boy electrocuted in Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, said they have contacted their family lawyer to take up the matter appropriately.
The boy simply identified as Emmanuel was electrocuted after he attempted to roll up a live wire that was disconnected and carelessly dropped by staff of Jos Electricity Distribution (JED) in Achusa community of Makurdi, the Benue State.
The incident which happened last Monday, April 19, 2021 left the family in grief as many were seen wailing uncontrollably.
Nothing was said of the boy’s mother but the grandmother of deceased boy, Mama Veronica Odoh, was inconsolable as at the time journalists visited the residence.
Speaking to journalists on Thursday, Uncle to the deceased, Mr. Samuel Olokpo said that his nephew was returning from school when some children in the area met him and told him that the wire that was earlier disconnected by JED staff was shocking them.
“JED staff had earlier come to the area and cut off some people’s light and carelessly dropped the wire on the ground.
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“One of the children in the area named Emeka who earlier got a shock from the wire met my nephew as he was returning from school and told him about how the wire shocked him.
“Emmanuel then told him he would go home and change and then return to roll up the wires. Sadly, while he was at it, he got electrocuted before help could come.
“He was rushed to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead. His corpse has now been deposited at the morgue of the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, (BSUTH).
“He was a Junior Secondary one (JSS 1) student of Benue State University (BSU) Technical College, Makurdi,” Olokpo said.
Efforts to speak with the Business Manager of JED in charge of Makurdi, Olaniyi Ogunmakinwa Oluwole failed as he adamantly refused to speak with journalists on the matter.
Meanwhile, a resident of Achusa in Makurdi LGA, Mr. Ejimbi Oloja complained bad work practice by the Jos Electricity distribution company.
He narrated how on several occasions the company will leave life wire on in their attempt to disconnect residents from the electricity line.
“One day, I was very lucky on getting home to discover my kids playing very close to a live wire disconnected by JED in my compound. I called them to pick it up but they refuse to come for hours and eventually when they did, it was discovered it had power on it.
He urged the management of JED to be more careful and to desist from indiscriminate power cuts saying JED was cheating the people of Achusa over bills.
In a situation where light was provided for three days, JED will send a full month estimated bill, and when you delay in paying, they cut the wires and leave it carelessly. That is endangering people’s lives,” he said.
