At Mowe Market in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State, at least three people, including a mother and child, were said to have been electrocuted.
The incident occurred on Monday after power was restored following a Sunday rain.
Ambassador Adesina Ogunsola, the Chairman of the Local Government, visited the market on Wednesday and gave a seven-day notice to all traders with shops and stalls under the high-tension powerline to vacate in order to prevent a repeat of the tragic incident.
An eyewitness mentioned that the electric shock came from the step-down transformer suspended on an electrical pole near the shop where the incident occurred, just as the shop owners arrived for their daily sales in the market.
The woman and her son were reportedly burnt beyond recognition.
Segun Soneye, the Director of Information at the Obafemi Owode Local Government, confirmed the incident to a correspondent on Thursday.
Soneye stated that the incident was attributed to the erection of shops made of iron under the powerline by the traders.
He reported, "The chairman of the council had visited the affected shop owners and commiserated with them over the incident.
The LG boss has already given shop owners a seven-day ultimatum to evacuate their make-shift shops built under the high tension powerline to prevent a recurrence of the incident."
During his visit to the market, Ogunsola, who expressed sympathy to the families of the victims, also blamed the incident on the careless attitude of the.
The LG boss questioned why people would ignore safety regulations and have their shops near electrical poles carrying step-down transformers.
Ogunsola, when instructing the traders with shops and stalls under the powerline to vacate, stated, "Let me also say that everyone that has extended its shop beyond where it should be, particularly those under high-tension cables should start removing it from today."
The police spokesman, Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident but mentioned that only the mother, Ujuwa Okechukwu, died from the incident.
