Suspected vandal electrocuted in Osun

By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo

A yet to be identified middle-aged man, has been electrocuted while trying to steal transformer cables in Ogo-Oluwa area of Osogbo, Osun State 

The incident occurred at Kolade Estate along GOF area at about 3.47pm on Monday.

The man, it was gathered, was electrocuted while trying to remove some cables from the Raji Kolade 100KV, 11/0.415 transformer.

The corpse was discovered by residents hanging on the fence around the transformer.

A resident said, a close look at the deceased revealed that he was one of those scavengers who pick electrical components to sell for survival. 

The Senior Communication Officer, Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC), Osun Region, Kikelomo Owoeye, who confirmed the incident said a resident of the area reported the incident at the nearby IBEDC office.

She said: “A resident of Kolade Estate, said at about 3.47pm, a loud explosive sound was heard which prompted a resident to call the technical supervisor of IBEDC, Ogo-oluwa Service Unit, Mr. Michael Oguntola covering the area of the incident.

“In response to the call, with the aim to verify the cause of the explosive noise, the dead body of an unknown scrap collector was found hanging on the transformer fence with his burnt fingers found on the red phase of the transformer.

“The bag of the scrap initially collected was found under his dangling legs behind the gated and locked transformer fence.

“Immediately, the TSS informed the Technical Engineer, Mr. Salam Akinloye and policemen from Ataoja Police Division, Osogbo, who came to evacuate the body of the deceased to Asubiaro Hospital mortuary.”

Owoeye therefore appealed to IBEDC customers to be vigilante in safeguarding their electrical installation within their communities against vandals.