A middle-aged man known only as Edward was electrocuted to death while attempting to reconnect an electricity cable to a pole in Kajola community, Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State.
A local resident, who spoke to Punch on Wednesday under anonymity, said the incident happened around 1:30 p.m. on October 13.
Edward, though not an official of any power distribution company, was well-known in the community for helping with minor electrical repairs. He was hired by a resident to reconnect power to an apartment in the area.
Tragedy struck when electricity was reportedly restored while Edward was still working on the cable.
“Someone living near the apartment at Kosedo in Kajola asked him to reconnect their electricity. That morning, he came and even rented a ladder. They left him there, expecting he would finish the job before they returned,” the resident explained.
“It wasn’t until evening that people began to worry about him. When they checked the site, they found his body lying motionless on the ground. It’s believed he was electrocuted when power was restored around 1:30 p.m.”
Attempts to revive Edward on the spot were unsuccessful, and his body was later taken to the morgue.
Another source, who identified himself as Sorinmade, revealed that the tenant who hired Edward and some other tenants were arrested following the incident.
“The person who engaged him, along with other tenants in the house, was arrested after the incident. It caused a lot of trouble. They had to pay a large sum before being granted bail. Edward was known for helping people with various tasks and had no family in the community. Not long after, his body was taken to his hometown for burial,” the source added.
