Lightning kills 14-year-old boy in Niger State

A 14-year-old boy, Yahaya Tafida, died after being struck by lightning during a rainstorm in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State.

Family members told PREMIUM TIMES that the tragedy happened around 6 p.m. on Monday. Yahaya was playing football with friends at the Government Girls’ Day Secondary School field in Lapai.

Eyewitnesses said the rain was heavy and strong winds were blowing, which made people at the field look for shelter.

Reports from the scene say that Yahaya ran under a tree to avoid the rain when lightning hit him, killing him on the spot.

Yahaya was a student at Police Secondary School, Minna.

The whole community is mourning his death. Residents are shocked by the sudden loss of the young boy.

Lightning strikes do not happen often, but they have caused deaths in Nigeria during heavy rain and thunderstorms in recent years.

Meteorologists often tell people to stay away from trees and not to be in open areas during storms to avoid being struck by lightning.

Yahaya’s body was buried according to Islamic customs.