Eight Electrocuted In Makurdi, Benue

Eight people have reportedly been electrocuted in Rice mill area of Wadata in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, Naija News reports

The incident was said to have happened in the early hours of Thursday, 24th February 2022.

According to an eyewitness, the transformer supplying light to the community sparked on Thursday morning which led to the electrocution.

This comes barely a week after the transformer killed one person in the community.

A resident blamed the negligence by Jos Electrical Distribution Company (JEDC), Benue distribution center for the sad incident.

“Recall that last week Monday being 14th February 2022, the transformer killed one and only surviving son of a certain parent in the community. Despite the incident, JEDC failed to address the challenge leading to the death of eight this morning,” he notes.

“The power transmission authority should as a matter of urgency address the issue with all alacrity to forestall further destruction of lives and properties,” he added.

When Kemi Filani contacted the spokesman of the Jos Electrical Distribution Company (JEDC), Dr. Adakole Elijah, he said the incident was still being investigated.

“I am just hearing about it. I can not comment on the issue now until I get the details. When I get the details, I will issue a press release to that effect,” he said.

However, a highly placed source at the company who pleaded anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the press, said the incident was as a result of illegal connection by the community.

“For now, they said the environment is tensed up. Nobody can go there. Our team can’t also go there to ascertain exactly what happened. But what the community people are saying is not correct. What our people (JED) are also saying is a different thing.

“They (JED) are saying that the community was disconnected yesterday and the people went there to reconnect themselves,” the source said.