The management of the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, (AEDC) has raised an investigation team to ascertain the cause of the recent electrocution of two persons in Keffi town of Nasarawa State.
The General Manager, Corporate Communications of the DisCo, Oyebode Fadipe, in a statement on Friday, described the death of Saidu Haruna and Mohammed Osama as a sad and painful reminder of the disdainful manner some persons treat electrical facilities despite the obvious dangers associated with it.
AEDC increases electricity tariff
AEDC launches fault detector for 33KV, 11KV power lines
AEDC also warned against the act of encroaching on the right of way (RoW) of electricity facilities by building or trading under High Tension (HT) lines or living close to electricity facilities in total breach of safety regulations within its franchise area.
While commiserating with the families of the deceased, the government and people of the state, AEDC said the first victim built his shop close to a high tension.
“On a number of occasions, we have been to the scene of the incident to sensitise the people in the area, warning them seriously about the dangers of trading under high tension lines,” it said.
The DisCo said the second person died trying to rescue the victim of the electrical accident.
“An on the spot assessment of the scene of the accident shows that a row of shops had encroached into the right of way (RoW) of the 11kV Keffi Feeder 1 and did not observe the necessary setback from the electrical facility that would have ensured their safety in the event of a failure of any of the lines.”
On August 17, one the lines snapped on the roof of the shops which killed Haruna instantly, while Osama died at the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi.
AEDC said its multi-functional investigation team headed by Engr. Sule Ainoko, the General Manager (Protection, Control & Metering), would establish the root cause of the incident, identify the short-comings in the AEDC supply system that may have led to the accident, among others in two weeks.
