Governor of Anambra state, Charles Soludo has extended his “deepest condolences” to the Tansi International College community over the death of three of their students in a lightning incident.

Governor Soludo’s condolence message which was conveyed in a statement from Christian Aburime, his spokesperson was made on Wednesday, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

The deceased students were Obi Chukwunwuike, 16, from Nteje, Anambra; Obeta Uchechukwu, 16, from Nsukka, Enugu State; and Usulor Chidubem from Ezza, Ebonyi State.

A witness had said that the lightning struck nine male students who were playing football barefooted with their peers at the school’s pitch on Sunday.

However, six of them survived the incident.

“The students were practising on the football pitch with their coach preparatory to a tournament. The coach had ended the training session before the rain started but some of the students stayed behind to continue playing football,” the witness, who asked not to be named, was quoted.

“Lightning, accompanied by claps of thunderstorms, suddenly enveloped the area and the boys were struck in the process”, he explained.

Soludo acknowledged the magnitude of the loss to the state, and prayed to God to grant both the school and the bereaved families the strength to bear the loss.