The Director of Lagos State Fire Service, Rasak Fadipe, said the incident at Jakande Estate at Isolo area of the metropolis. But Anokwe, a 300-level student of the Department of Accounting, was said to have been electrocuted close to the New Hall hostel about 7pm on Tuesday.
The students, led by the Students’ Union President, Abiodun Martins, had stormed the institution’s power house before locking up the main entrance gate of the university, and thereby hampering both human and vehicular movement. The late Anokwe, said to be a First Class student, was reportedly returning from a fellowship when a live power cable fell on her.
According to the president of one of the four hostels in the New Hall, who craved anonymity, it was the cry of Anokwe’s friends that attracted other students’ attention. He said: “I was sleeping in the hostel when it happened and the cry of the passers-by woke me up. She was immediately rushed to the medical centre on the campus before she was referred to the university’s teaching hospital in Idi- Araba. She gave up the ghost on the way to the hospital.”
The institution’s Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rahman Bello, has appealed for calm and discouraged the protesting students from taking their protest to the Eko Distribution Company. He said the cable had been de-energised immediately.
The Deputy Registrar (Information), Mr Olagoke Oke, said the university was shock to receive the news and had immediately called on the concerned power company to de-energise the cable. He said: “The cable does not supply power to the university but the Onike area of Akoka.
The power company only took the cable through the university and even after it was deenergised, there is power on campus. “We are sad by the development, particularly as the victim was such a brilliant girl. It was an unfortunate tragedy. We have communicated the family and a high-powered delegation has visited the home to commiserate with the family. We are working round the clock to ensure that such terrible accident does not happen again.
We are in mourning mood.” However, academic activities were paralysed on campus. After her death, fellow students and friends poured out their heart on Oluchi’s facebook wall.
Ogo Ezeme wrote: “RIP Oluchi Anekwe, you were such a lovely person, wonder why death keeps taking innocent people, a first class material of UNILAG. Your charisma was just too encouraging. May God receive your soul.”
