Three Workers Electrocuted in Onitsha During Borehole Work

On October 19, 2026, three men, identified as Chukwudi Ukwa, Frank Okafor, and Somadina Nwabuike, were electrocuted in Onitsha, Anambra State. They were working with a contractor to erect an iron pole for a water tank at No. 123 Old Port Harcourt Road, Fegge, when the pole fell onto an 11kV overhead electricity line.

The victims had arrived at the site with the contractor, and their bodies were later taken to the General Hospital, Onitsha, by police officers from the Fegge Division. The building owner, referred to as Mr Steven, is assisting police with the investigation.

FirstPower Electricity Distribution Company Limited expressed concern over the incident, emphasizing the dangers of construction work near overhead electricity lines without proper safety precautions. In a statement by Izunna Okafor, the company's Head of Communications, it was noted that metal objects can conduct electricity and cause fatal electrocution, even without direct contact with the wires.

The company urged compliance with electrical safety requirements to prevent such tragedies.