Rev. Fr. Faustinus Gundu the Parish Priest of St. Joseph Catholic Jootar, Ukum Local Government Area, LGA, of Benue State has been allegedly killed by thunderstrike.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that the incident allegedly occurred Thursday afternoon in Jootar.
The Catholic Priest popularly known Fr. Albino was reported to have allegedly suffered a heart attack after thunder struck in the area.
He was said to have rushed out to pick a towel outside his residence when it started raining but fell and remained motionless in the rain until he was discovered by servants who rushed him to a nearby hospital where he was confirmed dead.
At the time of this report, no official statement has been issued on the matter by the Church in Benue state and no one was willing to volunteer information on the issue.
Contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent, SP, Catherine Anene who confirmed receiving information on the issue said she could not confirm if the Priest died as a result of the thunderstrike.
She said, “I received the report but they alleged thunder. It is until we investigate before that would be concluded.”
The deceased was said to have served in different parishes across the state and Katsina-Ala LGA in particular before being posted to serve at St. Joseph Church, Jootar in Ukum LGA of the state.
In a related development about seven persons have been confirmed dead, two others injured and property destroyed as a high-tension line snapped onto the low-tension lines in the Kabong community, Jos North local government area of Plateau State.
The incident Nigeriacrime.com learned happened in the early hours of Saturday when the cables, property of the Jos Electricity Distribution Company, JED Plc was said to have snapped and immediately sparked off a fire that destroyed private homes of residents and shops in the immediate vicinity.
Over 100 persons have lost one property or the other in the densely populated community and among the deceased are siblings as the cable fell close to the entrance of their room as residents blamed JED Plc for the incident.
A resident, Paul Gab said the unstable power supply in the area is either too high or too low and the power is mostly supplied in the middle of the night when residents are fast asleep at the time the incident happened, the community had been without power supply and at the time the power was restored, the voltage was high.
However, JED Plc has offered condolences to the victims and offered to offset the medical bills of those injured.
When contacted, Dr. Friday Elijah who is the Head, of Corporate Communications of JED Plc reacted thus: “Jos Electricity Distribution Plc is anguished by the unfortunate incident at about 3.13 am, affecting customers on our Kabong primary Distribution Transformer in the Kabong area, Rukuba Road Jos.
“Preliminary investigation revealed that the accident was a result of a high-tension line snap onto the low-tension lines which resulted in a voltage supply outside limits. The source feeder tripped off and inter-tripped the Transmission end source from Makeri Transmission Station. We will continue to be monitoring the situation closely and communicate the facts of this regrettable incident.
“Equally, an evaluation of the root causes is underway, and appropriate measures will be put in place to avert future occurrences. We express our deepest sympathies to families who have encountered losses as a result of this incident. We are grateful to Traditional and Community leaders in the area for all their support in managing the effects of the accident.
“The Management of Jos Electricity Distribution Plc led by the Chief Operating Officer, Alhaji Mammanlafia Umar this afternoon visited the two victims of the accident at the Jos University Teaching Hospital and Our Lady of Apostles Hospital, Jos, with the view to ascertaining the degree of injuries sustained by the victims. The company promised to undertake the bills while assuring that efforts were being made to expeditiously restore power supply to the area.”