A heart-wrenching incident occurred at Mowe Market in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, leaving three individuals, including a mother and child, tragically electrocuted.
According to reports, the incident happened on Monday following the restoration of power after a Sunday downpour. An eyewitness revealed that the electric shock originated from a step-down transformer suspended on an electrical pole near the shop where the incident occurred.
“The woman and her son were burnt beyond recognition,” the eyewitness shared.
Confirming the incident, the Director of Information at the Obafemi Owode Local Government, Segun Soneye, blamed the tragedy on the erection of shops made of iron under the powerline by the traders.
“The LG boss has already given shop owners a seven-day ultimatum to evacuate their make-shift shops built under the high tension powerline to forestall the recurrence of the incident,” Soneye stated.
During his visit to the market, Chairman of the Local Government, Ambassador Adesina Ogunsola, expressed condolences to the families of the victims and attributed the incident to the nonchalant attitude of some individuals.
“Why would people disregard safety rules and have their shops close to electrical poles that carry step-down transformers?” Ogunsola questioned.
As a preventive measure, Ogunsola issued a seven-day notice to all traders with shops and stalls under the powerline to vacate the area. He emphasized the importance of adhering to safety regulations to prevent such tragedies in the future.
Police spokesperson, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident, stating that only the mother, identified as Ujuwa Okechukwu, lost her life in the tragic event.
