In a heart-wrenching incident that unfolded on Saturday, lightning struck down three Senior Secondary School (SS3) students in Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra, sending shockwaves through the community.
This unforeseen disaster unfolded as nine male students were engaged in a friendly football match on the school’s pitch, oblivious to the imminent danger lurking in the skies.
According to a witness who recounted the harrowing scene, the coach had wisely concluded the training session due to the approaching rain. However, the sheer love for the game pushed some of the students to continue their football match, despite the ominous weather.
Lightning, accompanied by deafening claps of thunder, swiftly descended upon the field, turning a joyous moment into a nightmare.
In the blink of an eye, the bright prospects of these young lives were extinguished as they fell victim to the unrelenting force of nature.
A teacher, alerted by the horrified screams and frantic retreat of the students, rushed to the field to assess the situation.
According to a report, the injured boys were hurriedly conveyed to the school clinic, and from there, they were transferred to a hospital in Awka.
Miraculously, six out of the nine boys were successfully resuscitated and are currently under medical care.
Regrettably, the same cannot be said for the other three, who succumbed to their injuries. Their grieving parents have been notified, plunging them into inconsolable grief.
Local resident Hope Egwu described how the news of this devastating accident spread through the community, leaving everyone spellbound and disheartened.
The hospital in Awka soon turned into a hub of grief and anxiety as parents and sympathisers gathered around the survivors, anxiously awaiting any signs of recovery.
A doctor at the hospital, who wished to remain anonymous, revealed that “three of the boys were brought in lifeless, their lives tragically cut short.”
Meanwhile, the six survivors, though on the path to recovery, still bear the scars of this traumatic experience.
The doctor emphasised the importance of wearing appropriate gear, mentioning that if the boys had been equipped with proper footwear, the impact of the lightning might have been less severe.
Surprisingly, the incident has not yet been reported to the local police, as confirmed by the police spokesman in Anambra, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga. The focus remains on caring for the survivors and consoling the grieving families.
Chukwudi Okani, a consultant pathologist at the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital in Awka, stated that this tragic event was a natural disaster rather than a spiritual one.
He urged people to take precautions by installing thunder arrestors in their buildings to mitigate the risk of electrical currents during lightning strikes.
As the community grapples with the devastating loss of these young lives, the incident serves as a poignant reminder of the unpredictable and unforgiving power of nature.
Awka mourns the untimely passing of these three promising students, whose lives were extinguished in the blink of an eye, leaving their families and community in mourning.
