Two schoolchildren electrocuted during rainfall on Monday has thrown residents of the Nnewichi community, in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, into deep mourning.
The incident occurred at St. Peter’s Claver Junction, where the children, whose identities were yet to be confirmed, reportedly took shelter at a roadside shop during a heavy downpour.
Eyewitnesses and CCTV footage obtained by journalists showed that the pupils were among several others seeking refuge from the rain when tragedy struck.
One of the eyewitnesses said, “Several pupils were taking shelter at the roadside shop during the heavy rainfall. But tragedy, however, struck when the wet bodies of two of the schoolchildren came in contact with a live metal in the place, and they were instantly electrocuted.”
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The witness added that while others narrowly escaped, panic gripped the area as the shocking scene unfolded in seconds.
According to residents, the shop owner had not yet opened for business when the incident occurred. It reportedly took the intervention of security operatives and passers-by, who used protective gloves to retrieve the bodies of the victims.
The unfortunate event came just days after a similar electrocution tragedy in the same Nnewi axis, where a woman was swept away by floodwaters in the Uruagu community. Her body was later recovered from a nearby river.
When contacted, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed awareness of the incident but said investigations were ongoing.
“The facts are not clear, but the divisional police officer has been directed to find out the details for a comprehensive report. As soon as I get the details, I will get back to you,” he stated.
This latest incident adds to the growing concerns over electrical safety and infrastructure maintenance in Anambra communities. In May, a similar tragedy occurred in Awka, when a three-year-old girl was electrocuted after stepping on a fallen high-tension cable reportedly belonging to the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC).
Residents alleged that EEDC officials had demanded ₦30,000 to fix the cable days before the tragedy, but failed to show up even after receiving payment.
A local resident, identified simply as Uche, said, “The electric cable fell on Friday, and it was only fixed on Sunday, after it had electrocuted the girl.”
The recurring incidents have sparked calls for stronger government oversight on power infrastructure and emergency response in communities across Anambra State.
