A three-year-old girl lost her life in Awka, Anambra State, after stepping on a fallen high-tension cable that reportedly belonged to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC). The incident occurred on Saturday at Isaiah Morah Close, where the child, returning home after fetching water, unknowingly stepped on the live wire.
Eyewitnesses said the cable had fallen a day earlier, on Friday, but despite multiple calls to the electricity company, no immediate action was taken. Residents claimed that officials requested ₦30,000 before attending to the issue. Even after the money was paid, the repairs were delayed until Sunday, two days after the cable had dropped and a day after the child was electrocuted.
A resident, Uche, told reporters that efforts were made to alert the company through community WhatsApp groups. Although a team was eventually sent, they were unable to locate the address and returned to their office. Sadly, the cable remained a hazard throughout Saturday.
The young girl lived with her mother in a partially abandoned building on the street. Like many others in the area, they relied on nearby compounds for water. On her way back from fetching water, she encountered the exposed wire. Witnesses said she collapsed immediately after making contact. Nearby children raised an alarm, and adults rushed out to assist. She was taken to Awka Medical Centre near Udoka Gate but was pronounced dead on arrival.
The delay in removing the fallen cable has sparked public outrage, with residents questioning the power company’s handling of emergency complaints and the safety risks it poses to the community.
