IKEDC official narrowly escapes death from electrocution

By Motolani AbdulGafar

An official of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC), Mr. Akin (full name withheld), has narrowly escaped death after being electrocuted at the transformer spot at Falowo Junction, Jakande-Gate, Ejigbo.

Mr Akin, who met his misfortune during operation on Thursday evening, was said to have operated the electric connection without using hand gloves.

According to an eyewitness, who spoke to ECHONEWS, Akin was electrocuted when electricity power was abruptly restored while the victim was working on a pole.

Another eyewitness, a trader in the vicinity, Mrs. Bukola Aminu, said the victim and other IKEDC officials had been working on the transformer for hours before the incident.

She explained that the customers in the area had earlier been disconnected from the transformer in the Estate and moved to the one at Bucknor.

She explained: “There was a time that they moved our connection from Estate to Bucknor without notifying anyone, so we alerted the Estate chairman when they came around again.

“According to our chairman, the officials claimed they wanted to do the maintenance of our light and truthfully they came with generator, connected white cables and did other necessary things.

“They even came to clear the weeds within the area. During the incident, the victim who should either be in his late forties and early fifties fainted immediately from the shock and was awake again due to pressure but from what I saw before taking him to the hospital, his hands were nearly falling off completely.”

At the Estate Clinic where Mr Akin was taken to on emergency, our correspondent, who was not allowed to see the victim, was told that he had gained back his consciousness and that he was responding to treatment in the clinic.