Permanent Secretary, four others die from electrocution in Gombe

The Gombe State Police Command says an electrical surge in the Tudun-Wadan Pantami area of Gombe Metropolis claimed the lives of five people and left 13 others injured in the early hours of Saturday.

The state’s Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Special Duties and Regional Coordination, Abdullahi Kulani, was among the five that died by the electrocution.

The incident, which authorities said was caused by a high-voltage surge from a nearby transformer, occurred just after dawn.

The spokesperson of the Gombe State Police Command, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said officers from the Low-cost Divisional Police Headquarters swiftly responded to the distress call.

Abdullahi said, “Our officers moved quickly to secure the scene and evacuate the victims to hospitals for urgent medical care. Unfortunately, five individuals lost their lives, and 13 others sustained varying degrees of injuries.”

According to police, the deceased have been deposited in three different morgues; three bodies at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Gombe, one at the State Specialist Hospital, one at Bolari Filin Kwallo Mortuary.

The injured victims are currently receiving treatment at several health facilities across the state.

Abdullahi noted that the Commissioner of Police, CP Bello Yahaya, described the incident as “deeply saddening” and extended his condolences to the bereaved families.

“We express our heartfelt sympathy to those who have lost loved ones and wish the injured a swift and full recovery,” he said.