Residents of Nkwoagu in Abakaliki Local Government Area of Ebonyi State are presently in a mourning mood after 35-year-old man named Peter Ugochukwu Odom, was reportedly electrocuted while erecting a pole.
It was gathered the deceased, a native of Oyinkwa village in Amachi Community, who worked with Ibortic Concrete Investment Ltd, was part of a team contracted to install new poles in the area.
It was gathered that in the course of mounting the poles that he accidentally touched a live high-tension wire, leading to his instant electrocution.
The Managing Director of the company, Mr. Peter Ibor Chukwuemeka, who confirmed the sad development, disclosed that the victim was his younger brother and expressed deep grief over the loss.
Chukwuma said the team had been invited by a customer to deliver and mount a concrete pole near Nkwoagu.
“We were called for the job. The customer assured my boys that power had already been disconnected from the high-tension line in the area. Unfortunately, that information was false.
“While attempting to erect the pole, it mistakenly touched the high-tension wire, and my brother got electrocuted instantly,” he explained.
According to him, the victim was first rushed to the military clinic within the cantonment before being transferred to the Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital (AE-FUTHA II), where doctors confirmed him dead.
He lamented that the deceased, who had worked with him for over three years, was a diligent staff and the breadwinner of his young family.
Mr. Ezeode Samuel, the victim’s uncle, who also confirmed the incident, described the incident as a great loss to the family, adding that burial arrangements would be decided after consultations.
The body of the deceased was said to have been deposited at the hospital mortuary.
