Two schoolchildren electrocuted in Anambra during rainfall
Tragedy struck in Nnewichi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State on Monday when two school children were electrocuted while taking shelter from the rain at a roadside shop.
The incident, which occurred at St. Peter’s Claver Junction, threw the community into mourning.
Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage revealed that several pupils had gathered at the shop to escape the downpour when the tragedy happened.
A resident near the scene, who pleaded anonymity, recounted, “Several pupils were taking shelter at the roadside shop during the heavy rainfall. But tragedy struck when the wet bodies of two of the schoolchildren came in contact with a live metal, and they were instantly electrocuted.”
According to witnesses, panic spread as the children collapsed instantly, while others narrowly escaped.
The shop owner was said to have not yet opened for business when the incident occurred.
“It took the intervention of some security officers and passers-by, who used protective gloves to evacuate the bodies,” another eyewitness said.
The incident came just days after a similar tragedy in the same Nnewi area, where a woman was swept away by floodwaters in the Uruagu community.
When contacted, the Anambra State Police Command spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident, noting that an investigation was underway.
“The facts are not clear yet, but the divisional police officer has been directed to find out the details for a comprehensive report,” Ikenga stated.
The latest tragedy adds to recent cases of electrocution in the state.
In May, a three-year-old girl was killed in Awka after stepping on a live cable belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company.
Residents had reportedly alerted officials about the fallen high-tension wire, but it was not repaired until after the fatal incident.
A resident, identified as Uche, said, “The cable fell on Friday and wasn’t fixed until Sunday, after it had electrocuted the girl. The officials even requested ₦30,000 to fix it but didn’t show up until it was too late.”
The repeated incidents have reignited public concern over poor electricity infrastructure and safety negligence in Anambra communities.
