Electrocution Kills Radio Repairer in Osogbo

Segun Adeyemi, Osogbo

Tragedy struck in Osogbo at the weekend when a radio repairer, Mr Kareem Teslim was electrocuted at a substation of the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company, IBEDC, around the Ataoja’s palace, Osogbo, Osun state capital.

Teslims’s death brought to the fore scores of people who have lost their lives to electrocution in Osogbo and other part of the state.

A refrigerator repairer identified as Moshood Majoko, had two months ago lost his precious life when he was electrocuted while trying to fix a faulty electricity cable behind Ilesa Motor Park, Osogbo. The deceased was a father of five.

Eye witnesses revealed that Teslim who owned a workshop at Iso-Isu, Oja-Oba area of Osogbo, was burnt to ashes by electricity, after falling from an electric pole.

Sources stated that the deceased was in his shop when report came that a line was faulty in the substation located few metres away from his workplace, and he immediately proceeded to the site where the fault was noticed.

One of the sources who lived close to the scene of the incident, told newsmen that the deceased felt reluctant to climb the pole when he noticed that the fault would involve him climbing the pole before it could be fixed, as he was not aware initially.

The eye witness who prayed not to be named said: “His initially thought was that the fault was minor. But when he got to the substation where the transformer is, he discovered that the fault was on one the two poles holding the transformer. Ladder was brought for him and he climbed the pole and began work.

“He was barely three minutes on the pole when electric voltage took off his dress and he shouted. He lost balance and fell from the transformer. Unfortunately, there was electricity supply on the lines at the time.

“His body was badly burnt and was barely recognized. Those standing nearby all ran in different directions and he was left there for several hours.”

When contacted, the Manager, Branding and Communication of IBEDC, Kike Owoeye, confirmed the incident and expressed concern over the increasing rate of electrocution caused by unauthorized access to the facilities of the company.

Owoeye, however warned people against unauthorized access to IBEDC facilities, saying henceforth, the company, with the help of law enforcement agencies, would deal decisively with any illegal person caught working on the facilities of the company.‎