A 14-year-old student of Police Secondary School, Minna, Yahaya Ibrahim Tafida, has died after being struck by lightning during a storm in Lapai, Niger State.
The incident happened on Monday evening at about 6 p.m. on the football field of Government Girls’ Day Secondary School, where the boy and other students had been playing football.
According to a resident, Mohammed Musa, the group was caught outside when heavy rain and strong winds began. They reportedly ran for cover and sheltered under a tree as the weather worsened.
Shortly after, lightning struck the area, killing the teenager instantly.
The incident has left residents of Lapai in shock, with many describing the loss as painful for the community.
As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson of the Niger State Police Command, SP Wasiu Abiodun, had not responded to enquiries. Calls and messages sent to him were not answered.
