Panic as lightning strikes 11 people down, kills two

Taiwo Jimoh and Stanley Ihedigbo 

Panic has gripped residents of Kuniyi community, Shagamu Local Government Area of Ogun State, after lightning struck 11 people, killing two teenagers on Sunday evening.

The victims, a boy and girl, were said to have been struck dead while playing football. The deceased have been identified as Emmanuel (male) and Ogechi (female). The corpses of the victims were not removed until yester morning. An early morning rain was said to have fallen on them.
According to eye witnesses, the incident occurred around 2pm on Sunday at Kuniyi Primary School Football Pitch.
Our correspondent gathered that immediately the lightning struck, it bolts got 11 people, but nine were later revived by residents, while the two teenagers died.
Pastor Idowu Johnson, living in the community, described the incident as unfortunate.
He said: "If not for the quick intervention of the community, the 11 victims would have died. It’s only God that knows why the incident happened. Unfortunately, Sango Worshippers, who are supposed to assist the deceased’s family by releasing the corpses, rather collected N16, 000 each from them.”

A man, who identified himself only as Pastor, told our correspondent that the incident happened where people were watching a football match.

He said: “The two teenagers were struck by lightning when it was raining. There was a lightning, followed by a thunder clap. Later, I heard some people shouting.  I went there to see what happened, and I saw the two people on the ground. They were lying there; there about other nine wounded people, who were rushed to hospital. The traditionalists that came around confirmed the two dead. The traditionalists, I learnt came from Sagumu area of the state and promised to return on Monday for some rituals. They have warned family members of the death people not to move the bodies until proper cleansing. They said it’s an abomination in the land for lightening to strike someone to death.”

The pastor added: “When I got there, I went straight to pray for one of them, Emmanuel and God told me to stop praying for him, that he disobeyed his parents. I stood up and left the place. I’m right now praying for those wounded and in hospital to heal.”

Another resident, Mr. Soneye Ebenezer said that the 11 teenagers came from another Ewu Lisa community to play football at Kuniyi.

Ebenezer said: "We tried to persuade the Baale of the community to allow the parents of the victims to go with their remains, but they refused. They insisted they must follow traditions. But what we are afraid of is epidemic. Since Sunday, medical doctors were not allowed to go near the corpses of the victims. I also learnt that the parents of the two teenagers were friends. In short, their death was unfortunate. They were the hope of their parents. They had completed their secondary school education and were waiting for admission."
He added that since the incident, people had been trooping to Kuniyi community, to get the fact of the incident and see the victims. Kuniyi residents said the incident was strange, adding that they had never witnessed such before.
A woman, who does not want her name in print said that people returning from church rushed to the scene and started praying for the victims.
She added: "Different denominations of churches gathered at the scene to pray for the deceased probably hoping they would resurrect. But they didn’t. We believe God knows best."