A father of two, known as Amas, tragically lost his life on Friday after being electrocuted while working on a high-tension pole near Ekeki Police Station on Azikoro Road in Yenagoa, the capital of Bayelsa State.
Amas, not employed by the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), lived in the neighborhood and was attempting to connect clients to the federal line, which is known for its relatively stable 12-13 hours of daily power supply. The incident occurred during this connection effort.
Hailing from Nembe Local Government Area, Amas was reportedly stuck on the pole for hours before PHCN officials arrived to retrieve his lifeless body. According to eyewitness Micheal Orubo, “Amas lived on our street and handled most of the electrical connections in this area. He left us while we were playing chess, saying he would be back, but he never returned. He was easygoing and took care of his two children with the money he earned from these connections. What a tragic loss.”
Another eyewitness recounted, “He passed by me just five minutes after the rain stopped. Then we heard people screaming. We rushed to the scene but couldn’t help because he was wearing a safety belt that held him tight to the pole, and it was still raining. It took hours before PHCN officials came to remove his body.”
Amas’s mother, who has a shop near the incident site, has been devastated since learning of her son’s death and has not been able to see the body. The community is now consoling her as they mourn the loss of Amas.
