A truck owner, its driver and a master welder have been arrested by the operatives of Ogun State Police Command in respect of the electrocution of one Jonathan Emmanuel, a 23-year old apprentice in Ifo, Ogun State.
Jonathan was confirmed dead at the Ifo General Hospital after a truck rìm he was rolling came in contact with a naked electricity wire at the welding workshop of Oládòkun Johnson, who was said to be welding with the machine when the incident happened in the Asimolowo area of Ifo.
According to a statement by CSP Omolola Odutola, the Ogun States Police Public Relations Officer, which was marked: AZ: 5310/OGS/PRO/VOL.7/344, the incident was reported at Ifo Divisional Police Headquarters on March 6, 2024, at about 1800 hrs by Emmanuel Brown Abah, the father of the deceased who claimed to have received information from Azeez Salami, a truck driver and the deceased’s master, about his son’s electrocution.
Odutola’s statement reads: “Immediately after receiving the report, police officers were drafted to visit the scene rendering assistance of evacuation to General Hospital, where the attending doctor confirmed the victim as Brought In Dead (B.I.D).
“Preliminary investigations revealed that Oladokun Johnson, a welder, was working on a container at his workshop, using a welding machine with an exposed live wire.
“At the time of the incident, Olaleye Kamaldeen, the owner of an Iveco truck (Reg. No. T 7146 LA, Lagos), had arrived with a mini bus carrying about ten truck rims for offloading.
“While Azeez Salami (truck driver), Olaleye Kamaldeen (truck owner), and Jonathan Emmanuel (victim) were rolling the rims towards the truck, one of the rims came into contact with the exposed wire, resulting in the victim’s immediate electrocution.
“Following the incident, police operatives recovered the welding machine and exposed wire as exhibits.
“The welder, truck owner, and driver have been arrested and are currently in custody as investigations continue. The case will be transferred to the SCID for further investigation and possible prosecution.
“The Ogun State Police Command strongly advises business owners and artisans to prioritize workplace safety measures to prevent such tragic and avoidable incidents.” It ended.
