From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Lightning has killed three Senior Secondary School (SS3) students of Tansian International College Nnodu, Okpuno in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra.
The incident was said to have happened happened on Saturday evening.
An eye witness claimed that the lightning struck nine male students who were playing football with their peers on the school’s pitch barefooted.
He said “The students were practicing on the football pitch with their coach preparatory to a football tournament. The coach had ended the training session before rain started, but some of the students stayed behind to continue playing football.
“Lightning, accompanied by claps of thunderstorm suddenly enveloped in the area and the boys were struck in the process. 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.
He said that six of the nine boys were resuscitated and are currently receiving treatment, but three did not survive.
Parents and sympathisers trooped into the ward where the survivors were receiving treatment in the undisclosed hospital.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for Anambra command, Tochukwu Ikenga (DSP), when contacted, said the incident had not been reported to the police.