Nigeria: OAU mourns student electrocuted while retrieving ball
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
A student at the Obafemi Awolowo University’s Distant Learning Centre was electrocuted on Saturday while retrieving a ball from a nearby compound in Moro, Osun State. The incident occurred when the student jumped over the fence to retrieve the ball and accidentally came into contact with a high-tension wire that had been brought down by a rainstorm on Friday.
According to eyewitnesses, the student was playing football with colleagues when the ball strayed into the adjacent compound. He volunteered to retrieve the ball and, after picking it up, threw it back to his friends. However, as he attempted to jump over the fence, he touched the live wire and was electrocuted. His colleagues used a stick to separate him from the wire and rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The Obafemi Awolowo University Public Relations Officer, Mr. Abiodun Olanrewaju, confirmed the incident and condoled with the family of the deceased. Olanrewaju described the incident as unfortunate and expressed sadness over the loss of the young student.
The Director of the Centre for Distance Learning, Professor Femi Koya, had already contacted the parents to convey the news of their child’s death. The university community is in mourning, and the incident has raised concerns about safety measures around high-tension wires in residential areas.
