How AEDC staff was electrocuted to death while on duty

A staff of Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, has been electrocuted to death while on duty.

Kunle Olubiyo of the Nigerian Consumer Protection Network disclosed the incident to DAILY POST on Monday.

According to him, the victim, identified as Josia Jim, died when the power supply was restored without his notice while fixing a faulty feeder within Garki District.

Olubiyo added that the deceased had lost his wife about two years ago.

Olubiyo blamed the incident for the lack of proper coordination between AEDC and the Nigerian Transmission Company.

He said gadgets were supposed to be available to ease communication among technical staff to avert electrical incidents.

Olubiyo called for proper adherence to global best practice safety rules to avert such electrical incidents.

“Transmission Company of Nigeria and Abuja Electricity Distribution Company are also expected to be synchronised and on the same page at all times, particularly when there is an outage that involves 33KV Feeders.

“The management of the DisCos should avert this ugly trend. About 15 needless deaths occurred due to non-adherence to operational procedures.

“Years ago, we had a similar electrical accident in Ilorin. A staff member of Ibadan was working on replacing faulty breakers within the Saw Mill/Geri Alimi Area of Ilorin. Outages were taken quite alright, while the faults clearing and change of breakers was still on, and the power supply was restored.

“And the staff was not only electrocuted but died with agonising burns whose pictures were horrifying,” he stated.

Meanwhile, AEDC is yet to release an official statement on the incident as of the time of filing this report.