Fear Grips Taraba Residents Over Electrocution Of 6

Residents of Dinyavo on Mile 6 in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital have called for an inquiry into the electrocution of six persons in the area within five days.

The residents also demanded the immediate intervention of the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) in the Jalingo axis into its power distribution which caused the death of a family of four, leaving only their daughter as an orphan.

A photographer, Raphael Okon, his wife and two children were electrocuted on Monday in their house, leaving a six-year-old daughter who was out of the house at the time of the incident orphaned.

The residents who spoke to our correspondent revealed that in less than five days, not fewer than six persons have been killed in electrocution within the Mile 6 area, a cause they said should be immediately exposed by the authorities to avoid another death.

Mr Bulus Meiyaki, Dr Istifanus Nshuve and Mallam Ardo Kashimu who are stakeholders from Mile 6 said the death of one of the staff of YEDC while working at Technobat Estate, another resident of Dinyavo who wanted to heat water was electrocuted and the event where Mr. Raphael was electrocuted with his three other family members deserve to be probed by security agencies.

“One of the YEDC’s staff was electrocuted on Saturday at Technobath Estate here in Mile 6, a man who wanted to use an Electricity Heater to heat water and bath was electrocuted on Sunday, yesterday been Monday, Mr Raphael and his wife and two children were also electrocuted here within the Mile 6 axis.

“Our people are now afraid of using electricity in their various homes if these killings are not ascertained, is as if there is a very serious problem with the electricity voltage regulation which must be properly checked to avert further occurrences,” he said.

Though the spokesperson of the YEDC was not reachable at the time of this report, a police public relations officer in Taraba state Usman Abubakar told LEADERSHIP that the bodies of the four persons have been evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Jalingo for an autopsy to confirm the real cause of the deaths.