Three Senior Secondary School (SS3) students in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra lost their lives to a lightning strike on Saturday, in a devastating and mysterious circumstance.
An eyewitness informed reporters that the lightning bolt targeted nine male students who were engaged in a barefoot football match on the school’s pitch.
“The coach had already concluded the training session before the rain began, but a few students chose to continue their game,” the eyewitness recounted.
“Suddenly, lightning accompanied by deafening claps of thunderstorms engulfed the area, and tragically struck down the young boys.”
According to the same witness, a teacher quickly rushed to the field upon hearing the terrified screams of the students as they scattered.
The injured students were immediately transported to the school clinic, and from there, they were transferred to a hospital in Awka.
“Six out of the nine boys were successfully resuscitated and are presently under medical care. Sadly, three of them did not survive, and their parents have been notified,” the witness added.
A resident, Hope Egwu, disclosed that news of the accident circulated throughout the community on Sunday, leaving everyone in shock and sorrow.
At the hospital in Awka, parents and well-wishers gathered around the ward where the survivors were being treated.
An anonymous doctor confirmed that three boys were brought to the hospital already deceased, while the other six were revived.
“It is a tragic reality that they were playing barefooted on the field. Had they been wearing proper footwear, the impact of the lightning strike might have been less severe,” the doctor lamented.
Upon reaching out to the police for comment, the Anambra State Police Spokesperson, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that the incident had not yet been reported to the authorities.
Chukwudi Okani, a consultant pathologist at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka, emphasized that this was a natural disaster, not a spiritual occurrence.
He urged people to consider installing lightning arrestors in their buildings to protect against electrical surges during lightning storms.
