Tragedy in Awka: Three-Year-Old Girl Electrocuted by Fallen High-Tension Cable in Anambra

In a deeply saddening and avoidable tragedy, a three-year-old girl was electrocuted by a fallen high-tension cable in Awka, the capital of Anambra State. The incident, which occurred on Saturday, May 24, 2025, has sparked outrage and raised serious questions about the safety standards and emergency response procedures of power distribution companies in Nigeria—especially the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).

This heartbreaking event took place at Isaiah Morah Close, a street in Awka, where residents had reportedly alerted EEDC officials about the dangerous situation a full day before the tragedy occurred. Despite repeated pleas and even the payment of a reported N30,000 to fix the fallen cable, no immediate action was taken, leading to the tragic death of an innocent child.

How It Happened: A Timeline of Neglect

According to an investigative report by Punch Newspapers, the high-tension cable fell on Friday, May 23, 2025. Residents of Isaiah Morah Close were immediately alarmed by the hazard and began making frantic calls to EEDC to have the live wire removed or repaired.

However, their cries for help were allegedly met with bureaucracy and financial demands. EEDC officials reportedly asked for ₦30,000 to fix the cable—an amount that residents say was quickly mobilized and paid.

Despite the urgency of the situation and the prompt response from the community, EEDC reportedly failed to show up on time. The delay proved fatal.

On Saturday, just a day after the cable fell and remained unfixed, the worst happened. A three-year-old girl, who was simply walking back home after fetching water, accidentally stepped on the fallen cable and was electrocuted.

“The Electric Cable Fell on Friday”: Residents Share Harrowing Details

Speaking with journalists, residents of the area gave a chilling account of the series of events that led to the young girl’s death. One resident, who identified himself as Uche, described the sheer negligence that led to the tragedy:

“The electric cable fell on Friday and it was only fixed on Sunday, May 24, 2025, after it had electrocuted the girl,” Uche said.

He further explained that community members used a neighborhood WhatsApp group to quickly alert the power company once the hazard was discovered. However, that effort was also in vain:

“The incident was posted on our WhatsApp group and a team was dispatched by the power company to immediately respond, but they could not locate the place. After allegedly trying their best, they went back to the office,” he continued.

This admission raises a serious concern about the preparedness, responsiveness, and competence of utility companies to handle life-threatening emergencies in Nigeria.

A Child’s Life Cut Short

Details about the victim’s living conditions further paint a tragic picture of poverty, neglect, and the harsh realities of urban life in Nigeria. The girl, whose name has not yet been publicly disclosed, lived with her mother in a partly abandoned building still under construction.

According to residents, the family would frequently go to neighboring compounds to fetch water—a reality for many Nigerian households who still lack access to clean and safe water despite living in urban areas.

“They usually go out to fetch water from other compounds. But unfortunately, on that fateful day, as she was coming home, she stepped on the fallen cable not knowing that the cable had power,” a neighbor recounted.

“The innocent girl went near and was electrocuted. When other children saw what happened, they shouted and the adults who ran out carefully pulled her off, rushing her to Awka Medical Centre at Udoka gate, but she did not make it,” the neighbor added.

EEDC Under Fire: Demands for Accountability

In the aftermath of the tragedy, there has been widespread anger and calls for accountability from the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company. Many Nigerians on social media and within the Awka community are demanding answers:

• Why did EEDC allegedly demand payment before fixing a public safety hazard?

• Why did it take more than 24 hours for them to respond to a high-risk situation involving live electricity?

• Shouldn't emergency response to electrical hazards be a free and urgent service?

The failure of EEDC to act swiftly—despite being informed and even paid—has been described by many as gross negligence. Legal experts and human rights advocates are now calling for an independent investigation and potential legal action against the power company.

Widespread Issue Across Nigeria

Unfortunately, this incident is not isolated. Across Nigeria, reports of fallen power cables, transformer explosions, electrocutions, and delayed responses from electricity distribution companies (DisCos) are alarmingly common.

In Lagos, Port Harcourt, and other urban centers, residents often share viral videos and photos of dangling wires, unattended fallen poles, and transformers sparking dangerously close to homes and schools. The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has, in the past, issued guidelines for prompt response to such hazards, but enforcement remains weak.

In a country where public safety infrastructure is grossly underfunded and where utility companies frequently pass the cost of their inefficiencies to the consumer, the lives of ordinary Nigerians continue to hang in the balance.

Legal and Moral Responsibility

According to Nigerian law, utility companies like EEDC have a duty of care to the public. The failure to address such a clear and present danger—especially after being notified and receiving payment—may amount to criminal negligence or even manslaughter under certain legal interpretations.

Human rights activists argue that this case must not be swept under the carpet. The family of the deceased child deserves justice, compensation, and a full explanation of why this tragedy occurred.

What Needs to Change

The heartbreaking death of this three-year-old girl should serve as a wake-up call for:

• Electricity Distribution Companies to train and equip rapid-response teams for electrical hazards.

• NERC and other regulatory agencies to enforce existing safety and emergency response standards.

• State and local governments to monitor abandoned cables and liaise with utility companies more actively.

• Nigerians to continue demanding accountability and safety from the institutions that serve them.

Conclusion: One Child, Too Many

The tragic electrocution of a three-year-old girl in Awka is a devastating reminder of the high human cost of infrastructural decay and corporate irresponsibility in Nigeria. While her name may never make the headlines of international media, her story must not be forgotten.

Isaiah Morah Close, Awka, may just be one street among many in Nigeria, but for the grieving family and the heartbroken community, it has become a symbol of lost innocence and a call for justice.

As Nigeria continues to strive for development, the safety of its children must be non-negotiable. One child lost to negligence is already too many.