UNIZIK Cable Thief Electrocuted

By Jude Atupulazi

It was a sad end for a young man who was electrocuted while trying to steal a high tension electricity cable around the Faculty of Education, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, last Monday night.

Reports said the thief had almost finished cutting the high tension cable before electricity was suddenly restored by the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) and he got electrocuted.

As of the time of filing this report EEDC officials, policemen and officials of the Safety Department of the University were seen retrieving the lifeless body of the suspect from the electric pole where he was suspended.

A source in the university who would not want to be named said they came that morning (Tuesday) and found the body suspended from the electric pole at a transformer point in the area of the new Faculty of Education building, close to the Department of Economics.

‘Evidence showed he was almost done cutting a high tension cable before electricity was restored by the EEDC and he got electrocuted.

‘EEDC officials, policemen and officials of the Safety Department of the University, were on ground as the body was being retrieved around 11am today (Tuesday). I witnessed the retrieval but wish to remain anonymous,’ the source pleaded.

This incident is coming barely a week after a man was discovered killed in a similar circumstance at a transformer in Amawbia, a neighbouring community to Awka.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Tochukwu Ikenga, could not confirm the incident as of the time of filing the report.