For attempting to prevent passersby from being electrocuted,
four officials of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) in Delta
State were, on Tuesday, beaten to a pulp in Sapele by soldiers attached
to the officials of the state’s Ministry of Environment, who were
demolishing illegal structures and clearing waterways to avoid flooding
in the town.
The soldiers, believed to be detached from 19 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Sapele, allegedly carried out the dastard act, leading to the admission of the PHCN officials in hospital.
Nigerian Tribune, as of Thursday, learnt that the four PHCN officials, who were only trying to save lives, were still lying critically ill in a clinic in Sapele.
The beating happened at Ugbekoko axis of Sapele Local Government Area, following a serious damage on the 11KV feeder transformer which supplied electricity to the area.
Public Relations Officer of Sapele Business Unit of PHCN, Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen, informed journalists in Sapele that in the course of clearing water ways and demolition of illegal structures built on flood plains, an articulated truck belonging to the state Ministry of Environment damaged some electric poles and cables which supplied electricity to the area.
Mrs Gbiwen said trouble started when the truck rammed into the 11KV feeder transformer, damaging it completely in the process, adding that it also fell over five electric poles and cut down live electric cables.
According to her, when the incident occurred, the four staff of PHCN on duty, led by the Service Manager, one Mr Ogbotor, promptly responded to save passersby in the area from electrocution, by preventing them from stepping on live cables, but were, in the process, ordered by the articulated vehicle driver and soldiers attached to it to steer clear of the area.
The soldiers, she said, went berserk and began to beat up the PHCN staffs to a pulp and, in the process, creating pandemonium around the area.
The four victims were admitted in the intensive care unit of Sapele Clinic, even as the doctor on duty, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the affected PHCN staffs were on intensive treatment and were not fit neither to speak nor go back to work until their conditions improved.
Meanwhile, the Business Manager of the PHCN unit, Engr F. A. Orhukpe has appealed to the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Omare and the state government to come to the aid of the affected PHCN officials, and to prevail on the soldiers to stop further attack on their staff.
Reactions could not be got from the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion, Nigerian Army as of press time.
TRIBUNE
The soldiers, believed to be detached from 19 Battalion, Nigerian Army, Sapele, allegedly carried out the dastard act, leading to the admission of the PHCN officials in hospital.
Nigerian Tribune, as of Thursday, learnt that the four PHCN officials, who were only trying to save lives, were still lying critically ill in a clinic in Sapele.
The beating happened at Ugbekoko axis of Sapele Local Government Area, following a serious damage on the 11KV feeder transformer which supplied electricity to the area.
Public Relations Officer of Sapele Business Unit of PHCN, Mrs Evelyn Gbiwen, informed journalists in Sapele that in the course of clearing water ways and demolition of illegal structures built on flood plains, an articulated truck belonging to the state Ministry of Environment damaged some electric poles and cables which supplied electricity to the area.
Mrs Gbiwen said trouble started when the truck rammed into the 11KV feeder transformer, damaging it completely in the process, adding that it also fell over five electric poles and cut down live electric cables.
According to her, when the incident occurred, the four staff of PHCN on duty, led by the Service Manager, one Mr Ogbotor, promptly responded to save passersby in the area from electrocution, by preventing them from stepping on live cables, but were, in the process, ordered by the articulated vehicle driver and soldiers attached to it to steer clear of the area.
The soldiers, she said, went berserk and began to beat up the PHCN staffs to a pulp and, in the process, creating pandemonium around the area.
The four victims were admitted in the intensive care unit of Sapele Clinic, even as the doctor on duty, who spoke on condition of anonymity, confirmed that the affected PHCN staffs were on intensive treatment and were not fit neither to speak nor go back to work until their conditions improved.
Meanwhile, the Business Manager of the PHCN unit, Engr F. A. Orhukpe has appealed to the Commissioner for Environment, Mr Omare and the state government to come to the aid of the affected PHCN officials, and to prevail on the soldiers to stop further attack on their staff.
Reactions could not be got from the Commanding Officer of the 19 Battalion, Nigerian Army as of press time.
TRIBUNE
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