The story
surrounding the family of Late Mr Kingsley Osuchukwu, a native of Nneato
community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, is a
pathetic one.
surrounding the family of Late Mr Kingsley Osuchukwu, a native of Nneato
community in Umunneochi Local Government Area of Abia State, is a
pathetic one.
Barely four years after Osuchukwu’s
untimely death, his wife, Joy Oluchi, a native of Umunze community in
Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was electrocuted by
uncoated electric cables that supply electricity to the streetlights,
allegedly left carelessly by officials of the Ebonyi State Ministry of
Power, after working at the site earlier in the day.
untimely death, his wife, Joy Oluchi, a native of Umunze community in
Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State, was electrocuted by
uncoated electric cables that supply electricity to the streetlights,
allegedly left carelessly by officials of the Ebonyi State Ministry of
Power, after working at the site earlier in the day.
The incident happened about 8:30pm in
front of Udoka Hall along Water Works Road in Abakaliki. The spot was
just few steps away from her residence, No 27 Ukwansi Street, Abakaliki.
Tears of family members, neighbours and friends flowed like a river
when news of her sudden demise was broken.
front of Udoka Hall along Water Works Road in Abakaliki. The spot was
just few steps away from her residence, No 27 Ukwansi Street, Abakaliki.
Tears of family members, neighbours and friends flowed like a river
when news of her sudden demise was broken.
Back from the sanctuary
Sunday Sun
learnt from co-tenants of the deceased that she had returned from her
church, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Methodist Church, Abakaliki, where
she had participated in its Bible Study programme.
learnt from co-tenants of the deceased that she had returned from her
church, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity Methodist Church, Abakaliki, where
she had participated in its Bible Study programme.
On arrival, Oluchi was said to have
dropped her bible at her residence and headed to the tap in the
neighbourhood to fetch some water for her family. Without any
premonition of the impending danger, she picked up a 25 litre gallon and
headed to the tap. She went with her four-year-old only son, Victory.
It was on her way back home that the tragic incident happened.
dropped her bible at her residence and headed to the tap in the
neighbourhood to fetch some water for her family. Without any
premonition of the impending danger, she picked up a 25 litre gallon and
headed to the tap. She went with her four-year-old only son, Victory.
It was on her way back home that the tragic incident happened.
Rough path to death
Along the busy Water Works Road, there is
a footpath which the residents of the area often use, perhaps, to avoid
the dangers obviously inherent on the major road. Incidentally, the
state government routed the cables for the streetlights through the same
footpath.
a footpath which the residents of the area often use, perhaps, to avoid
the dangers obviously inherent on the major road. Incidentally, the
state government routed the cables for the streetlights through the same
footpath.
Some of the light poles have electrical
problems. The residents of the area told Sunday Sun that they had been
pleading with the officials of the state’s Ministry of Power to fix the
problems and prevent tragic occurrences in the area. But all pleas and
prodding, according to them, where not heeded.
problems. The residents of the area told Sunday Sun that they had been
pleading with the officials of the state’s Ministry of Power to fix the
problems and prevent tragic occurrences in the area. But all pleas and
prodding, according to them, where not heeded.
So, that fateful day, when Oluchi was
returning from the borehole, she mistakenly stepped on the naked cable
and was electrocuted to death instantly.
returning from the borehole, she mistakenly stepped on the naked cable
and was electrocuted to death instantly.
Some shop owners who were at the venue of
the incident told Sunday Sun that the officials of the state’s Ministry
of Power had worked on that particular streetlight cable earlier in the
day and abandoned the insulated cables.
the incident told Sunday Sun that the officials of the state’s Ministry
of Power had worked on that particular streetlight cable earlier in the
day and abandoned the insulated cables.
They alleged that they had pleaded with
them to cover it before leaving but they gave a flimsy excuse that they
would come back later and left.
them to cover it before leaving but they gave a flimsy excuse that they
would come back later and left.
“That same day, about 8:30pm this woman
passed through that area not knowing that there were uninsulated cables
there and she was electrocuted instantly,” one of the shop-owners, who
requested for anonymity, said.
passed through that area not knowing that there were uninsulated cables
there and she was electrocuted instantly,” one of the shop-owners, who
requested for anonymity, said.
Confused by the incident, her little son
after tapping her lifeless body without any response, then screamed in a
high decibel voice that attracted passersby to the scene. A man who was
said to have had attempted to pull her away received an electric shock
and was violently thrown off while the child was not harmed.
after tapping her lifeless body without any response, then screamed in a
high decibel voice that attracted passersby to the scene. A man who was
said to have had attempted to pull her away received an electric shock
and was violently thrown off while the child was not harmed.
When Sunday Sun
visited the family residence behind Udoka Hall, some of her Anambra
kinsmen living in Abakaliki and other mourners had besieged the house.
visited the family residence behind Udoka Hall, some of her Anambra
kinsmen living in Abakaliki and other mourners had besieged the house.
Speaking to Sunday Sun,
Chairman of Umunze Town Union, Ebonyi State chapter, Mr Uchenna Joseph
Obi, blamed the officials of the state’s Ministry of Power for the
woman’s death.
Chairman of Umunze Town Union, Ebonyi State chapter, Mr Uchenna Joseph
Obi, blamed the officials of the state’s Ministry of Power for the
woman’s death.
“The residents of that area told us that
officials of the Ministry of Power in charge of the streetlights came in
the afternoon of that same day and worked on the streetlights. They
abandoned those uninsulated cables and left.
officials of the Ministry of Power in charge of the streetlights came in
the afternoon of that same day and worked on the streetlights. They
abandoned those uninsulated cables and left.
“If you go there (referring to the day Sunday Sun visited)
now, you will still see those ‘naked’ wires there. They just left them
on the footpath where people pass often. We are very angry. This is
carelessness on the path of the government officials.
now, you will still see those ‘naked’ wires there. They just left them
on the footpath where people pass often. We are very angry. This is
carelessness on the path of the government officials.
“We have contacted the state governor,
Chief David Umahi. We sent him a text message. We first contacted his
deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe and afterwards, sent a text message to the
governor himself.
Chief David Umahi. We sent him a text message. We first contacted his
deputy, Dr Kelechi Igwe and afterwards, sent a text message to the
governor himself.
“We want government to come to the aid of
the family. This is because the children are now orphans. Their father
died about four years ago. So, you can imagine the difficulty their
mother’s untimely death can pose to them. She has three children, two
girls and a boy.
the family. This is because the children are now orphans. Their father
died about four years ago. So, you can imagine the difficulty their
mother’s untimely death can pose to them. She has three children, two
girls and a boy.
“She was with her last child who is about
four years when the incident happened. So it was the little child that
raised the alarm before people gathered. The first person that touched
her was shocked by the electric current. So, before they could use dry
stick to push her away, she had died. She was confirmed dead at the
hospital,” Obi narrated.
four years when the incident happened. So it was the little child that
raised the alarm before people gathered. The first person that touched
her was shocked by the electric current. So, before they could use dry
stick to push her away, she had died. She was confirmed dead at the
hospital,” Obi narrated.
Sister-in-law of the deceased, Miss Okoro
Chidimman Godgift, while corroborating others insisted that the
government officials should be held responsible for the fate of Oluchi.
Chidimman Godgift, while corroborating others insisted that the
government officials should be held responsible for the fate of Oluchi.
Meanwhile, the three orphans: Miracle (10), Amarachukwu
(8) and Victory Osuchukwu (4) could not speak with our reporter as they
were not emotionally stable when Sunday Sun visited.
(8) and Victory Osuchukwu (4) could not speak with our reporter as they
were not emotionally stable when Sunday Sun visited.
Death traps in the capital
The state government, in its drive to add
aesthetic value to the state capital, mounted streetlights and disco
lights in many streets in Abakaliki. However, many of these ground disco
lights have developed faults such that there are uninsulated cables
everywhere. It was one of such cables that killed the deceased.
aesthetic value to the state capital, mounted streetlights and disco
lights in many streets in Abakaliki. However, many of these ground disco
lights have developed faults such that there are uninsulated cables
everywhere. It was one of such cables that killed the deceased.
As if to confirm the claims made by Obi,
Sunday Sun reporter visited other parts of Abakaliki, the state capital,
and saw that at the popular Udensi Street, the sort of electrical fault
identified by the people is rampant and pose danger to the residents
and users of the road. A girl of about 15 years, a food vendor, who
pleaded for anonymity recounted to how she missed death by the whiskers.
Sunday Sun reporter visited other parts of Abakaliki, the state capital,
and saw that at the popular Udensi Street, the sort of electrical fault
identified by the people is rampant and pose danger to the residents
and users of the road. A girl of about 15 years, a food vendor, who
pleaded for anonymity recounted to how she missed death by the whiskers.
“I was just washing plates near the
streetlight pole and it sparked. Another day, it was drawing me close to
itself like a magnet. And the ground was wet. It was God that saved
me,” she said.
streetlight pole and it sparked. Another day, it was drawing me close to
itself like a magnet. And the ground was wet. It was God that saved
me,” she said.
But in a statement signed by the Public
Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Power and Energy, Egwu
Nwabueze, and made available to Sunday Sun, the ministry dismissed the allegation that its officials abandoned the uncoated cables that killed Mrs Oluchi Osuchukwu.
Relations Officer of the state’s Ministry of Power and Energy, Egwu
Nwabueze, and made available to Sunday Sun, the ministry dismissed the allegation that its officials abandoned the uncoated cables that killed Mrs Oluchi Osuchukwu.
The statement read in part: “It would be
observed that the State Ministry of Power and Energy, contrary to the
insinuations did not work on the cable along the area within the period
in question as there was no reason to do so. Instead, the likes of these idle minds tried pulling out our cable which we buried a day after the incident.
observed that the State Ministry of Power and Energy, contrary to the
insinuations did not work on the cable along the area within the period
in question as there was no reason to do so. Instead, the likes of these idle minds tried pulling out our cable which we buried a day after the incident.
It quoted the Commissioner in charge of
the ministry, Chief Emma Uguru as saying that, “the state government
could not be held responsible for the incident which is one of a kind in
the state.”
the ministry, Chief Emma Uguru as saying that, “the state government
could not be held responsible for the incident which is one of a kind in
the state.”
Egwu further said: “State Government
through the Ministry however commiserates with the family of the victim
of the alleged electrocution.”
through the Ministry however commiserates with the family of the victim
of the alleged electrocution.”
Dismissing the allegations made against
the government on various social media platforms in respect of the
tragic incident as the handwork of “propagandists” who insinuated that
Governor Umahi’s administration engaged the services of cheap engineers
to execute the electrification project, the Egwu quoted the commissioner
as saying: “Electrocution is one of the disasters or accidents often
witnessed the world over. Electricity companies such as the defunct ECN,
NEPA, PHCN, and now EEDC had at various times recorded such incidents
which were not attributed to the government.”
the government on various social media platforms in respect of the
tragic incident as the handwork of “propagandists” who insinuated that
Governor Umahi’s administration engaged the services of cheap engineers
to execute the electrification project, the Egwu quoted the commissioner
as saying: “Electrocution is one of the disasters or accidents often
witnessed the world over. Electricity companies such as the defunct ECN,
NEPA, PHCN, and now EEDC had at various times recorded such incidents
which were not attributed to the government.”
Until her demise, Oluchi was a staffer at the headquarters of Ezza South Local Government Area located in Onueke community.