IBEDC refuses to compensate family of the deceased electrocuted at Sango UT
The management of Ibadan electricity distribution company (IBEDC), led by Mr. Kingsley Achiefe has reportedly become indifferent to the family of Mallam Guda who unfortunately was electrocuted due to the criminal negligence of their staffers in Ifo undertaking.
The unfortunately incident that led to the death of Mallam Guda occured on October 5th, 2023. As narrated at the office of National coordinator, All Electricity consumers protection Forum by the extended family of the deceased led by the Chairman Hausa community/ Chairman Ifo CDA with senior brother of the deceased where Guda lived, the young man with three children and heavily pregnant wife before his death was going about his daily chores as tipper motor boy with his boss but unknown to him, there was live wire that fell in the community a day before which the staff of IBEDC in Ifo undertaken was contacted and by extension the technical manager of IBEDC joju business unit , Engr Famakinde but failed to showed up neither did they off supply to the area until the wire eventually electrocuted the tipper boy in person of Mallam Guda.
One of the family,Mr babangida who was in the company of Chairman CDA in the community that reported the matter for intervention on the office of All Electricity consumers protection Forum national Coordinator said they were able to make report at the police station, and retrieved the remains of Mallam Guda for burial according to Islamic rite after contacted the management of IBEDC at Sango business unit but failed to even paid a condolence visit to the family and the Hausa community in Ifo.
And they were directed to All Electricity consumers protection Forum office, at Ikeja as the recognized electricity consumers rights Advocacy office.
The national Coordinator, Adeola Samuel Ilori took a bold step by contacting Mr Kingsley Achife who’s the MD IBEDC to intimate him about the incident and that the office will be writing an official letter to the effect, which he did on 25th October, 2023, but till the time of publishing this story, there has been no response while the moves in radio program and other media outfits led them to take steps at visiting the family in Ifo thru the house of seriki Hausa in ifo community while promising to take all necessary steps to compensate the family especially the heavily pregnant wife of the deceased in November 2023.
The waiting became endless for the family until December 2023 during yuletide when IBEDC chose the period to give the “family” a bag of rice and 20,000 as compensation with promise that before February ending they would come up with something.
It was surprising that as at the time of filing this report IBEDC has not deem it fit to do the needful as calls from the family as represented by Seriki Hausawa Ifo indicates no such moves was done by IBEDC management to fulfilled their promise to the deceased immediate family whom IBEDC met in January with such promise as to the February ending redeem of their compensation. Now, the family has gone back to the North home of the deceased because of Ramadan while left behind the brother of the deceased should in case IBEDC will show up.
It’s quite disheartening to know that a corporate organization whose staff negligence led to death of another life with family to cater for can be this callous to treat the family with disdain to think a gift of bag of rice and 20,000 will relieve the pains of their loved one who while looking for daily bread for the family met his death.
The national Coordinator, All Electricity consumers protection Forum Mr Adeola Samuel, had said that ,he sent reminder to Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) to step into the matter and prevail on IBEDC management to do what’s right to the family of the deceased or face legal action from the group against both the IBEDC management and Nigerian Electricity Regulatory commission since the excuse of IBEDC had always been that the Nerc management have not given them go ahead to do as law of operations dictate of any electrocuted victims due to negligence of the discos.
He also said that before the legal step to seek redress will be down a press conference will be held with the family and also involve the intervention of the minister of power as to seek redress for the grieving family especial the deceased immediately family , the wife and four children as the pregnant woman has put to bed thereafter.
