At least six persons were electrocuted in Mushin, a densely-populated Lagos neighbourhood, following the spontaneous celebrations that greeted the crossover to the New Year last Sunday.
The victims were killed after some youths threw firecrackers at a transformer, triggering an electric spark that severed a high-tension cable from a pole.
The incident happened at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday.
The victims were part of a Muslim congregation participating in a crossover vigil organised by Temidayo Central Mosque on Ogunmokun Street.
A 300-Level Statistics student of Olabisi Onabanjo University (OOU), Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State, Wasiu Adio Apesin, died in the incident.
The victim returned from school on Saturday and went to the mosque for the vigil.
It was gathered that the victims assembled on Adedoja Street, opposite the mosque, to participate in the crossover vigil. The transformer from where the electric sparks started is located on Asaoku Street, which is about 500 metres from the mosque. The electric sparks moved along the high-tension cable to the pole opposite the mosque and got the cable severed.
It was gathered that four people died on the spot where the cable fell. Two later died during the struggle to detach the energised cable from the victims.
It was learnt that seven people were severely injured. They included a 16-year-old Lawal Adeyemo, who resides five houses away from the mosque, and a 60-year-old man identified as Mr. Olalekan, a resident of Adedoja Street, who was said to be in a coma at the Gbagada General Hospital at the time of filing this report.
It would be recalled that the police had before the yuletide reminded Nigerians that the ban on fireworks was still in force nationwide, warning of dire consequences for violations.
“Parents and guardians are advised to prevail on their children and wards to desist from these acts that are capable of causing tension, fear and apprehension in their neighbourhood.
“Violators will be promptly arrested and prosecuted,” Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, said in a statement.
