By OlA Ajayi, Ibadan
We all enjoy light. Except some awkward people who hide under the cover of darkness to perpetrate evil, everyone desires it. No wonder, when the Power Holding Company of Nigeria restores light after hours of power outage, the shouts of “UP NEPA” rent the air.
But, because of its usefulness and the satisfaction it gives, we tend to underestimate the destruction it can cause within a split of a second.
Warnings such as, ‘It is extremely dangerous to stay under PHCN high tension power lines or carry out any activity close to PHCN equipment’; ‘It is a crime punishable under the law if you erect structures or carry out activities under or close to PHCN equipment’; ‘Give a gap of 5.5 metres, 12.5m and 25m on each side of our 11/33KV, 132KV and 330KV lines respectively’; ‘You stand the risk if instant electrocution in case of a wire cut or transformer explosion’; ‘If you erect structures or carry out activities under the PHCN high tension lines or close to any PHCN equipment; you endanger your life and overtime as a result of radiation from the power lines which may lead to cancer’, are routinely ignored.
As a result, many Nigerians erect structures under high and low tension wires, while some people transact business under it.
Even when something disastrous happens, people only stay away for some time and later resume their normal activities.
If warnings had been heeded, Monday’s electrocution of seven women, including a pregnant woman, could have been averted.
The day started like any other day and normal transactions had started at the Agbekoya market, Apata Ganga. As usual, some vegetable sellers woke up and hurried to the market to get their daily supplies from farmers from the surrounding villages. Since they always transact their business under the distribution wire, they had no premonition of the death that was lurking around the corner.
But, at exactly, 5.50am, the peaceful atmosphere was ruptured when one of the cables snapped and fell right on some of the traders including a one-year old baby strapped to the back of his mother. Before help could come, seven of them had been electrocuted.
Providence provided a miraculous escape for the baby but his mother was not that lucky. Thanks to some Okada riders nearby.
“We used a stick to separate the baby from the mother. It happened around 5.50am. The wire just came down suddenly. There was no time for any of them to run”, one of the commercial motorcyclists said.
A youth leader in the area, Mr. Wahab Bamidele, led his colleaguesy to rescue two survivors.
He told Sunday Vanguard that the casualties would have been more if more buyers and sellers had come.
“If you have been coming here before, you would know that this place is always congested-students going to schools, workers going to their places of work and many other people”, a resident who identified himself as Suleiman narrated.
According to him, there had been several complaints to the PHCN that the cables always cut. Such incidents had killed two persons at different times in the past. But the staff of the company would only come to join the cables together.
Another resident, Sikiru Ajiboye, said, “We don’t know what to do again. We have been complaining about the state of these wires for a long time. Apart from being thin, the wires are also too weak and they fall so often”.
Another man who did not want his name in print alleged that some PHCN officials always collect money from them before fixing the wires.
Reacting to the latest incident, the Principal Affairs Manager, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, Mr. Jide Oyenuga said though the company sympathized with the government of Oyo State and the families of the victims, he reminded the people who don’t always obey the town planning law that a reasonable distance should be observed as setback to the low and tension wires as there could be line failure at any time.
He said, “General public should not violate the town and regional planning law which stipulates that the mandatory distance of 5.5metres, 15.5m and 25m must be observed as setbacks in relation to low tension, 11KV and 33KV lines respectively in order to avoid any form of accident in the event of line failures.
“The public should bear it in mind that these electrical materials are persistently exposed to mother nature which makes them vulnerable to wear and tear and also accident can happen without notice within technical limitations”.
A survivor, Afusat Abiade, receiving treatment at the Garden of Eden Hospital, said she was the first to be brought to the hospital before dead victims followed.
Speaking on the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, Oyo State Command, Mrs. Olabisi Ilobanafor, confirmed the death of only five people while two survivors were said to be receiving treatment in hospital.
The sad incident paralysed commercial activities in the ever-busy market as farmers, who supply vegetables, and traders immediately stopped business transactions.
Also, many commuters trekked to their destinations as commercial drivers withdrew their services.
There was tension at Apata later as rumour spread that some youth who blamed the electrocution on the PHCN were planning to attack its office there.
This made the police in the state to beef up security to prevent breakdown of law and order. On Tuesday, one of the residents there was calling on the electricity company to compensate the families of the victims.
Alhaji Alamu said besides compensation, the company should also ensure that the cables are replaced to prevent further disaster. To douse the tension, the market has been closed by the South West Local Government.
Senator Olufemi Lanlehin representing Oyo South Senatorial District, sent condolences to the bereaved families; the Olubadan of Ibadanland; the Caretaker Chairman of Ibadan South West Local Government and Governor Abiola Ajimobi over the unfortunate incident.
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