Barber Dies From Electric Shock During Attack On EEDC Facility In Enugu
A man identified as one Tochukwu Onah, has been electrocuted while attempting to vandalise an installation of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) at Ede Oballa, Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State,
The lifeless body of Onah, also known as Toshiba was found within the space of a distribution transformer belonging to EEDC in the early hours of Saturday, Jan. 14.
He is suspected to have been attempting to vandalise the distribution transformer which already had some of its cables severed.
He was an indigene of Ede-Oballa (the same community where the transformer is located).
Mr. Emeka Ezeh, Head of Corporate Communications, EEDC, described the incident as very unfortunate, one which has cut the young man’s life short at its prime.
Ezeh said there had been numerous cases of vandalism as recorded by the company last year and that the ugly trend had impacted negatively not just the quality of service to its customers, but also its revenue.
He called on the public, especially those who are quick at pointing accusing fingers at employees of the company to also look inwards, as some of the perpetrators of these attacks may be residing within the neighborhood or community.
Ezeh said in November last year, after a transformer was vandalised in the same ‘Ede Oballa’ community, where their representatives directly accused employees of EEDC of being responsible for the attack, alleging that “they are the ones who understand electricity.”
“As fate would have it, the deceased happens to be one of their own, an indigene of the community whom we were told operated a barbing salon and had never been associated with anything relating to electricity, talk less of being an employee of EEDC.”
According to Ezeh, vandalism has been a big challenge to the company, and there is no way we can deal with it all alone without the support of its stakeholders.
Ezeh said that in all the arrests that have been made, none of the suspects has been identified as staff of the company,
“Neither has any of the suspects apprehended claim that they were working or colluding with any employee of the company.
“The company’s position is that if any employee is found to be involved in such an act, such a person will not only be shown the way out, but will be prosecuted, EEDC has zero tolerance for such a criminal act,” he said.
EEDC condoles with the family of the deceased, and hoped that this incident serves as a deterrent to those engaging in this act of sabotage.
