ANAMBRA, Nigeria – A tragic incident unfolded over the weekend in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, where three Senior Secondary School (SS3) students lost their lives due to a lightning strike.
According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) report, the lightning struck a group of nine male students who were playing football barefooted on the school’s pitch.
According to an eyewitness, the students were engaged in football practice for an upcoming tournament, and the coaching session had just concluded before the rain began.
However, some of the students chose to remain on the field to continue their game. Unexpectedly, lightning and thunderstorms swept through the area, resulting in this tragic event.
“A teacher heard the students screaming and running. He ran to the field and saw at least nine students trembling and jerking on the turf.
“That was when he raised the alarm and people gathered to help. The boys were immediately rushed to the school clinic, from where they were taken to hospital in Awka.
“Six of the nine boys were resuscitated and are currently receiving treatment, but three did not survive. Their parents have been contacted,’’ the witness told NAN.
The local community has been deeply shaken by the incident, with residents and sympathizers visiting the hospital in Awka, where the surviving students are receiving care.
A doctor at the hospital shared that three of the boys were brought in already dead, while the remaining six were resuscitated.
The doctor also emphasized that the impact of the lightning strike might have been less severe if the students had been wearing appropriate footwear during their play.
When contacted, police spokesman in Anambra, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the incident had not been reported to the police.
Expert advice from Prof. Chukwudi Okani, a Consultant Pathologist at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Awka, emphasized that this tragedy was a result of a natural disaster and not a spiritual occurrence.
He explained that lightning can be fatal due to electrocution through direct strikes, side splashes, or ground current strikes.
Prof. Okani recommended the installation of lightning rods in buildings to mitigate the risk of electrical current during lightning storms, highlighting the importance of safety measures during such events.