The Nigerian Electricity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) on Sunday announced that it had begun investigation into the death of the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties and Regional Coordination, Gombe State, Mr. Yusuf Kulani, and four others in a case of electrocution.
Earlier, there were reports of an electrical accident at the Tudun Wada Pantami area of Gombe State, with five persons dead and 13 others receiving treatment in hospital, sparking outrage in the Riyel community area of the state.
The incident was linked to a snapped high-tension power line that made contact with low-tension wires, leading to an uncontrolled surge of electricity sparks across the local distribution network.
On action taken so far by NEMSA, a statement in Abuja by the Head, Communications and Protocol Unit, Ama Umoren, noted that on getting the information, the Chief Executive Officer of the organisation, Aliyu Tukur, immediately ordered a thorough technical investigation of the incident.
Consequently, the statement said that a NEMSA technical team led by Tajudeen Alabi was immediately dispatched to the site on June 15, 2025, to investigate the incident in accordance with the NEMSA mandate as contained in the Electricity Act 2023.
As for preliminary findings, it noted that eyewitness accounts and technical evaluations revealed that the incident was triggered by a structural failure of a high-tension (11kV) wooden cross-arm support, which led to the detachment of the red phase high-tension conductor.
“This conductor made direct contact with a low-voltage (400V) line below, causing a dangerous voltage surge into residential houses. The impact resulted in widespread electrical sparks, severe electric shocks, and the electrocution of five individuals.
“Several residents sustained varying degrees of injuries while trying to disconnect their power supplies to their homes and electrical appliances including televisions, refrigerators, and meters which were extensively damaged.
“The investigation uncovered several systemic and infrastructure-related issues: Use of aged, untreated/deteriorated wooden cross arms in the distribution network. Absence of standard protective devices (such as circuit breakers) in consumer installations.
“Aged low-tension conductors, poorly maintained substations, and inadequate clearances between high-tension lines and residential structures,” the NEMSA statement said.
In addition, it blamed the failure of the protection and tripping unit at the Riyal Injection Substation, attributed to the use of non-functional battery bank which allowed the fault to persist until human intervention occurred.
From the report of the preliminary investigation, NEMSA said it was a preventable accident, had the Jos Disco heeded previous warnings from NEMSA to rectify and correct observed faults on the network.
The failure of Jos utility company to carry out regular maintenance on the network as and when due, it said, led to this avoidable accident.
NEMSA referenced a letter it wrote to the Jos Disco on April 30 this year, drawing its attention to defects observed by NEMSA officials on the networks within Gombe metropolis which were negatively impacting on the efficient delivery of service and posed risk to safety of lives and property.
“Unfortunately, that advice was ignored by Jos Disco. Electricity is associated with hazards. These hazards are real. They can even affect the personnel working in the electricity sector, so we need to use electricity safely and wisely.
“NEMSA hereby renews its call on utility companies to ensure regular maintenance of their networks. We equally advise Nigerians to avoid staying under power lines, erecting buildings under power lines or doing any form of business under power lines because it is very risky,” it stated.
NEMSA expressed its condolences to the government and people of Gombe state, especially the families of the deceased in the sad incident and assured the public of its commitment to ensuring safety in the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI).
The agency stated that it will be working with Jos Disco to carry out the replacement of dilapidated infrastructure in the affected area, enforce the installation of proper protective devices in residential and public buildings and conduct thorough safety inspections across the distribution network.
Meanwhile, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) has successfully restored normal bulk electricity supply to the North-east after completing the connection of the new Bauchi 330/132kV transmission substation to the national grid, through the 330kV and 132kV Jos-Bauchi-Gombe transmission lines.
The lines were initially switched off to enable TCN to energise the new Bauchi substation, one of the biggest substations in the region, to the grid.
“The transmission lines have now been reconnected back to the grid. Consequently, supply to the North-east has been restored since the 19th of June at about 16:45 hours,” a statement by the TCN spokesperson, Ndidi Mbah, stated.
With the project completed, TCN stated that bulk power transmission has been restored to Jos and Yola Electricity Distribution Companies, which supply electricity to customers in Bauchi, Gombe, Yobe, Damaturu, Adamawa, and Taraba States.
“This connection of the new substation to the national grid has enhanced power reliability, diversified transmission routes, and improved emergency response capabilities in the North-eastern region,” it added.
Emmanuel Addeh
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