In a shocking incident near the Faculty of Education building at Nnamdi Azikiwe University in Awka, Anambra State, a yet-to-be-identified man met a grim fate when he was electrocuted while attempting to steal cables from a high-tension pole. The unfortunate incident unfolded on Monday night and was only discovered on Wednesday morning.
The suspected cable thief had successfully cut a cable from the high-tension pole when tragedy struck. As he was in the midst of his illicit operation, power was abruptly restored by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). The sudden surge of electricity proved fatal, leading to the immediate electrocution of the thief.
On Wednesday morning, university employees and EEDC personnel were met with the grim sight of the lifeless body suspended from the high-tension pole. The retrieval operation commenced, involving officials from the electricity distribution company, local police, and university safety department staff.
An anonymous university official provided insight into the tragic event, stating, “Evidence showed he was almost done cutting a high-tension cable before electricity was restored by the EEDC and he got electrocuted. EEDC officials, policemen, and officials of the Safety Department of the university were on the ground as the body was being retrieved around 11 am today (Tuesday). I witnessed the retrieval but wish to remain anonymous.”
This incident follows closely on the heels of a similar tragedy that occurred just a week prior, when an unidentified individual lost their life while attempting to vandalize an electricity cable from a transformer in Amawbia, near Awka.
As of the time of this report, the state Police spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, had not confirmed the details of the incident. However, Emeka Ezeh, the Head of Corporate Communications at EEDC, expressed deep concern over the recurring attacks on electricity installations across the South-East region. This unfortunate event serves as a stark reminder of the risks and dangers associated with illegal cable theft, and the urgent need for enhanced security measures to safeguard critical infrastructure.
