the Niger State Capital was thrown into mourning at the weekend, following the
electrocution of a casual technician with the Power Holding Company of Nigeria
(PHCN).
He was attempting to carry out some repair works on an
electricity high tension pole at the Maikunkele, in Bosso Local Government Area
of the state.
The incident occurred at about 2pm on Saturday after
officials of PHCN had switched off electricity in the community on the
arrival of some of its staff in company with the deceased, identified as
Habib Yisa.
He was believed to have been a casual worker with the
organization.
The Nigerian Compass learnt that officials of the
organisation suddenly switched on the light just after the deceased had climbed
the pole and was busy working on the faulty high tension electric cable.
A relation of the deceased, Mr. Usman Suleiman Majindadi
Bosso, said: “I was called by some concerned citizens and neighbours who
knew that I was responsible for his education and grooming to come and see the
lifeless body of Habib Yisa dangling on the pole.”
He said that the understanding of the bereaved family members
was that there was no way electricity could be restored by PHCN without knowing
what was happening on the high tension wire, adding that about one hour later
there was no PHCN official to speak to on the incident.
It was further learnt that the deceased and his colleagues
had arrived in the company’s van loaded with familiar equipment, including
tools, ladder and belt brought from the PHCH office in the area.
The Deputy Police Public Relations Officer, Niger State
Police Command, Mr. Richard Adamu Oguche during an interview with the Nigerian
Compass on Monday in Minna.
He said: “On Saturday, we got information that a
PHCN official was electrocuted at Maikunkele area in Bosso Local
Government Area of Minna the state capital when he went to execute his
lawful duties and we learnt that he actually went there to do a reconnection with
the view that people of the community enjoy electricity supply”.
Oguche, an Assistant Superintendent of Police, said that the
Police went to the scene with the view to rescuing the deceased from
the electric pole but stated that at the time the police got there that he was
confirmed dead.
“When the PHCN office was contacted, they confirmed that
he was one of their casual staffers, but I think we are trying to blame the
cause of his death on personal negligence because climbing that pole, professionally he
was supposed to go there with hand gloves and he did not kit himself properly.
We also know that it is part of their ethics that when
going to reconnect electricity in a particular area, the substation is
supposed to be tripped off at that very moment”, he conclude.
Compass
