Tragedy struck on Saturday, May 24, 2025, at Isaiah Morah Close in Awka, the Anambra State capital, after a fallen high-tension cable belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) electrocuted a three-year-old girl.
The child reportedly stepped on the live cable, unaware it was carrying current.
Punch Online gathered that the high-tension cable had collapsed the previous day, but efforts to have it removed proved unsuccessful.
Residents in the area, speaking to journalists on Monday, disclosed that officials of the power company were contacted but allegedly demanded N30,000 to fix the hazard. Despite the payment, they failed to act promptly.
A resident, identified simply as Uche, recounted, “The electric cable fell on Friday and wasn’t fixed until Sunday, May 24, 2025, after it had already taken the life of the little girl. The incident was shared on our WhatsApp group. Though a team was dispatched by the power company, they claimed they couldn’t locate the exact location and returned to their office.”
According to Uche, the deceased child lived with her mother and others in a partially constructed and abandoned building on the street. On the day of the incident, she had gone out to fetch water, as was routine, but stepped on the fallen cable on her way back.
“The innocent girl was electrocuted instantly. Other children nearby raised the alarm, prompting adults to rush out. They carefully removed her from the cable and rushed her to Awka Medical Centre at Udoka Gate, but sadly, she didn’t survive,” Uche added.
When contacted for comment, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the command had not received any report regarding the incident.
Similarly, the Communication Manager for EEDC, Emeka Ezeh, stated, “I don’t have such information before me. Please, I have to enquire and get back to you.”
