Three killed in Ogun lightning strike

Three unidentified men, suspected to be in their early 20s, died on Thursday after being struck by lightning, following a downpour in  Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State.
According to eye-witness accounts, the incident occurred on the Otunba Dipo Dina International Stadium Road in Ijebu-Ode about 3 pm during the downpour.
The victims, and a  fourth person, had disembarked from the motorcycles they were riding on and ran toward  a makeshift shelter for the rains to subside when tragedy struck.
The  three victims were said to have been hit while  the fourth person  took to his heels unharmed.
The three corpses were still lying at the spot as at the time of filing this report.
Investigations revealed that many bystanders  refrained from going  near the corpses for fear that the occurrence was related to perceived retribution from Sango, believed among the Yoruba to be  the god of thunder.
An eye witness, who claimed anonymity, said that the people believe  that anyone who died as a result of  lightning  was linked to punishment for wrong doing.
“No one can touch or remove their bodies until after some traditional rites to appease Sango are done,” the witness said.
Police personnel who  visited the scene also refrained from moving near   the corpses as they mounted  a perimeter fence at  the scene.
All efforts to speak with the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Ogun State, Abimbola Oyeyemi, on the incident proved futile as he did not respond to calls made to his mobile phone line.