Family of electrocuted victim accuses IBEDC of abandonment after three months

… accuses IBEDC’s Engr. Abiodun Dickson of threatening legal action despite son’s electrocution

… writes IGP for arrest of Joju District, Undertaking Manager, marketer

Oredola Adeola

The Seriki Hausa of Ifo and the family of Late Aliu Guda have accused the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) of abandoning them with threat after their son was fatally electrocuted by a low voltage wire in the Olomu, Ifo area of Ogun state on Wednesday, October 25, 2023, blaming the IBEDC for pricing the life of the deceased and threatening them with legal actions.

The family in a message sent to EnergyDay therefore called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) the arrest Mr. Odetola, the Ifo IBEDC marketer, and Mr. Famwkinde, Joju District, Undertaking Manager, for the negligence of duty and carelessness that led to the death of their son.

The Seriki of Ifo in the statement accused the management of IBEDC of attempting to ostracize anyone who calls for justice for the Late Aliu Guda.

According to him, IBEDC is subjugating the rights of the Arewa community in Ifo, thinking they can deny us our rights because they have resources to cover up their evil deeds.

In a chat with EnergyDay, Seriki disclosed that the family and the Electricity and Human Rights Organization led by All Electricity Consumers Protection Forum have been targeted for calling for compensation for the family of the deceased.

He said, “The IBEDC management has failed to reach out to the heavily pregnant wife of the deceased and his three children, who have been battling with extreme poverty after the demise of their breadwinner.

The Seriki of Ifo further stated that the IBEDC management is trying to circumvent justice. He alleged the DisCo of claiming that the family would suffer repeated adjournment, even if they attempted to take the matter to court.

He said Engr. Abiodun Dickson, a senior staff of IBEDC, who led the team sent by Engr. Kingsley Achife, Managing Director of IBEDC, recently issued a stern warning to the family involved in the case.

“Engr. Dickson stated that if the family pursued any legal actions, they would likely lose out in court,” Seriki said.

“He claimed IBEDC has enough resources to prosecute any legal actions instituted by the families of the deceased and the Arewa community.

“The official of the IBEDC urged the family to take whatever the DisCo is willing to offer them and forget taking further actions, which he said will backfire.,” the Seriki who is representing the Arewa community in Ifo said.

Mr. Adeola Ilori, National Coordinator of the All-Electricity Consumer Protection Forum, has condemned the IBEDC for failing to empathize with the family of Mr. Guda, threatening them with legal action if they proceed against the DisCo.

Ilori called on IBEDC management to stop trading with the life of the late Guda and his family and urged them to visit the wife and children of the deceased.

He said, “Three months after the incident, I expect the IBEDC management, as a serious organization, to have visited the wife and compensated her and the children.

The National Coordinator of All-Electricity Consumer Protection Forum, whose letter to the Managing Director of IBEDC started the organization to act on the incident after the family and community chairman contacted his office for intervention due to the lackadaisical attitudes of IBEDC management in the Sango business unit, has also vowed to join the fight for justice for the late Guda in court.

EnergyDay also gathered that Mr. Ilori has also written a petition to the Sango Area Commander for a full investigation into the cause of Guda’s death.

He said, “I do not believe justice can be served by leaving the investigation to the organization whose staffers remain culpable in the incident via criminal negligence.”

Mr. Ilori further called for the prosecution of IBEDC field staff involved in the incident by the Police for proper investigation.

Busola Tunwase, Head Media of Relations, IBEDC, in a chat with EnergyDay on the allegation of Seriki Hausa, restated that the management of IBEDC has initiated investigations to ascertain the facts surrounding the incident.

The IBEDC Head of Media Relations has refuted the community’s claims, stating that “No Engr. Dickson is appointed as IBEDC spokesperson” and urged our correspondent to disregard the allegations made by the community.

According to her, a preliminary investigation has been carried out, and as a customer-centric organisation that values the lives of all, visits were made to the family and community of the deceased.

“As stipulated, when the full investigation is concluded, we shall follow the procedure laid down by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) in concluding the case,” she said.

IBEDC Head of Media Relations urged the family to file an official report on the allegation, allowing the IBEDC management to better understand the situation.

Tunwase therefore promised that the management would investigate the allegation levelled against Engr, Dickson, charging the community not to be involved in a media war on the matter.