Tragedy struck at Nsukka Local Government Area of Enugu State on Wednesday, as a yet-to-be-identified barrow-pusher from Ebonyi State was electrocuted while trying to pluck mango fruits with iron close to high-tension wires.
According to eye-witnesses, the young man, when caught by life wire, was struggling to break free when he alerted the neighbourhood.
While speaking to Vanguard, the owner of the mango tree who identified himself simply as Chinonso, said the incident happened at about 6:30 am.
He said he was bringing out his goods for the day’s business when his younger brother informed him that someone was plucking their mango fruits. On hearing that, he said he was waiting angrily for the intruder to climb down from the tree when suddenly he noticed he was caught by a live wire as he struggled for freedom.
At that point Chinonso said “I rushed and informed a journalist who was living close to our house to alert Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, EEDC, to take the light in order to save his life.
“When the light was withdrawn, he dropped dead from the tree. Nobody sent him to pluck the mango fruits, he was just stealing it. I was angry seeing him plucking the fruits without seeking for our consent and was waiting to interrogate him before the worst happened,” he said.
Though the spokesperson of the Enugu State Police Command, Daniel Ndukwe, replied through a text message that he was in a meeting when Vanguard reached him for a comment, a welder whose shop was close to the scene of the incident confirmed that police officers from Nsukka police division have evacuated the remains of the deceased.
