Okrika, Rivers State – A devastating incident struck the Okrika community in Rivers State in the early hours of Monday, June 2, 2025, when six individuals, including a pregnant woman and an operative of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), were electrocuted following the collapse of a high-tension electricity cable. The tragic event, which occurred around 1:12 a.m., has plunged residents into profound mourning.
According to reports, the high-voltage cable snapped and fell directly onto a residential building, resulting in the instantaneous electrocution of its occupants and igniting a fierce blaze. Eyewitnesses described a horrific scene, stating that the victims had no chance of escape as the powerful electrical surge rapidly engulfed the structure, destroying properties estimated to be worth millions of naira.
Among the confirmed deceased are a pregnant woman, whose identity has not yet been released, and an unnamed NDLEA official.
Local authorities have commenced assessing the extent of the damage. Meanwhile, distraught residents are vehemently calling on the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHEDC) and other relevant regulatory agencies to launch an urgent and thorough investigation into the cause of the cable collapse. Their plea emphasizes the critical need for measures to be implemented to prevent such a catastrophe from recurring.
Efforts to reach a spokesperson for the PHEDC for comment were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
