11 Die From Electrocution In Zaria

About 11 residents Gwargwaje and Kauran Juli situated along Zaria-Kaduna Expressway were feared killed due to high electric power supply.

Aliyu Samaila, a resident, explained that power supply restored in high voltage in the area around 1am caused indiscriminate spark of electricity gadgets, resulting in the burning of the house of one Engineer Zubair Abubakar.

Among the dead include a pregnant woman, health personnel, a police officer and many others all in the Gwargwaje area.

The widow of the police officer, Mrs Christy Lombo, said they were all asleep when electricity power was restored to their barracks.

“My daughter woke up to realise that some of the fuses in the house were in smoke. So she woke me up but before then my husband had already woken up and went to switch off the light from the main change over plug.

“He was instantly shocked and thrown away by the high current. We later took him to the hospital where he gave up,” she said.

The Head of Corporate Communication, Kaduna Electricity Company (KEDCO), Abdulazeez Abdullahi, in a statement confirmed the accident was as a result of high tension line snap on to the low tension line, which resulted in voltage supply outside limits.

“The source feeder was immediately opened in an emergency to avoid further damage.

“We continue to monitor the situation closely and communicate the facts of this regrettable incident. We express our deepest sympathies to families who have encountered losses as a result of this accident.”

KEDCO, however, commended the Emir of Zazzau, Malam Ahmed Nuhu Bamalli, for his support in managing the effect of the incident.