Nigeria: 14-year-old student killed by lightning during football match

On Monday, June 8, 2026, Yahaya Ibrahim Tafida, a 14-year-old student at the Minna Police High School, was struck by lightning while playing football in Lapai, Niger State, Nigeria. According to witness Mohammed Musa, a storm broke out around 6 p.m., prompting the youths to take shelter under a tree, where lightning struck and killed Tafida instantly. The tragedy echoes a similar incident in November 2023 in Anambra State, where three final-year students were killed by lightning during a football match.