- According to an eyewitness, the students were practicing for a football competition on the school’s pitch when the lightning struck
Three male students from a private secondary school in Okpuno, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State, tragically lost their lives while playing football on the school field.
The incident occurred on a rainy Saturday, accompanied by strong winds and thunderstorms. According to an eyewitness, the students were practicing for a football competition on the school’s pitch when the lightning struck.
Reportedly, around nine students were involved in the incident, with six of them being resuscitated later at the school’s clinic, where they were initially taken.
The source said, “The boys were practising on the football pitch with their coach in preparaton for a football tournament.
“The coach had ended the practice session before the rains started, but some of the students stayed behind to continue playing football.
“Lightning, accompanied by claps of thunderstorms suddenly enveloped the area and the boys were struck in the process.”
Witness reports added that “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.”
A resident, identified as Hope Egwu, told journalists that the news of the accident went round the community on Sunday before it was made public, adding that everyone had been held spellbound.
The state’s police spokesman, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who was contacted, said the incident had not been reported to the police.