Lightning kills pregnant woman, man in Benue

MAKURDI—A pregnant women (names withheld) and a middle aged man, identified as Barber, were, yesterday, killed by lightning during a downpour in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State. Vanguard gathered from eyewitnesses that the deceased persons were both operating a business premises at a popular hotel on Gboko West area of the town when they met their untimely death. According to an eyewitness, the victims had close shop for the day and where locking up their business premises at 7p.m. when they were simultaneously struck. According to one Mr. Haanya Aondoakaa, who claimed he witnessed the incident, “when the rain started we were all happy because we have had scarcity of rains this year, but the thunder and lightning that accompanied the rain scared everyone. “It was not quite long after the rain started that we heard loud screams and wailing which compelled people to scamper for safety. “In the mist of that confusion, we discovered that the two victims were struck to death by the lightning. “It was a sorry sight. But we managed to render assistance by taking them to a hospital for medical attention, which was however too late in coming because they were already dead.” When contacted, the chairman of Gboko Local Government Area, Mr. Nahan Zenda confirmed the incident, he added that the council reported the incident to the police, and officers were quickly deployed men to the area.