Nursing mother electrocuted in Benue

A nursing mother, Mishack Obera, has been electrocuted at her home in Ter Guma Street of North Bank, a suburb of Makurdi metropolis in Benue State.

Mishack was killed while trying to iron her clothes shortly after electricity supply was restored in her vicinity.

Our correspondent recalled an incident of mass electrocution of February 24, which killed seven people in one swoop at the Rice Mill vicinity of Wadata in Makurdi.

A similar incident on February 14 following a faulty transformer in the same area claimed the life of a young man who was the only child of his parents after he rushed inside the house to put off their stabiliser but was electrocuted in the process.

Mishack’s husband,

Obera Emmanuel, a businessman who hails from Olamaboro Local Government area of Kogi State, told journalists in Makurdi on Wednesday that the latest incident involving his wife occurred Sunday evening at their 8th Avenue, off Ter Guma Street apartment in North Bank, Makurdi.

He said his neighbours who were earlier alerted to the incident following a baby’s cry in the room drew his attention on telephone while they battled to save her life in vain before his return from.an outing in another part of Makurdi.

“She was ironing the clothes when there was a power surge. Many people in my area said when the light was brought that evening, the current was very high and fluctuating. My neighbour who ate together with me earlier that day confirmed this and said he even experienced a shock that evening in his room.

“Imagine somebody (wife) who called me at 4:52pm only to be found dead in our room eight minutes later. In fact, she had arranged the bath tub to bathe our baby.

“I’m sure it was while she was arranging to bathe our baby that they restored the light and she tried to quickly use the opportunity to iron the clothes she was sewing and got killed in the process. Even the black soap she uses to bathe our baby was already opened and the bath water was already mixed,” the bereaved husband said.

The Regional Manager of Jos Electricity Distribution Company (JEDCO) in Makurdi did not respond to calls or text messages put through his telephone for comment about the incident.

Also, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Catherine Anene, said the incident hadn’t been reported to the police.