A quiet farming community in Adamawa State has been thrown into mourning after a devastating lightning strike killed six children from the same extended family and injured four others during a rainstorm in Ganye Local Government Area.

The heartbreaking incident occurred around 4 p.m. on Sunday in Dadiri-Tirgali village, Garum District, when a routine trip to harvest groundnuts ended in one of the deadliest lightning-related tragedies the area has witnessed in recent years.

According to residents, the victims were working on a family farm when heavy rain suddenly began to fall. In an attempt to escape the downpour, they gathered under a tree for shelter. Moments later, a powerful lightning bolt struck the tree, killing six children instantly and leaving four others seriously injured.

The deceased were identified as Abdulrahman Musa, 7; Aliyu Sule Maunde, 10; Jaafar Sule Maunde, 10; Bilkisu Jibrin Maunde, 20; Musa Ahmadu, 9; and Auwalu Nuhu, 11.

Those injured include Nasiru Abubakar, 7; Rilwanu Ahmadu, 9; Saadatu Isa, 35; and her daughter, Hasiya Isa, aged one year and three months.

The injured victims were rushed to the General Hospital in Ganye, where they received treatment for varying degrees of injuries.

Families Recall Horrific Discovery

Relatives of the victims described scenes of unimaginable grief after receiving frantic calls from survivors.

One of the bereaved fathers, Musa Maude, popularly known as “Soja,” lost both a son and a grandson in the tragedy. Fighting back emotions, he said he had sent the children to harvest groundnuts earlier that day, never imagining it would be the last time he would see them alive.

According to him, a distress call from one of the survivors alerted the family to the disaster.

"When we arrived at the farm, we found them lying under the tree. Some were motionless. A woman nearby was unconscious, while her baby later began crying after she regained consciousness," he recounted.

Maude said all ten victims were transported to the General Hospital in Ganye, where doctors confirmed that six of the children had died.

"We buried them the next morning according to Islamic rites. It is a pain no parent should ever experience," he said.

Another grieving father, Suleiman Maude, lost his two sons, Aliyu and Jaafar.

He said he had returned home from bricklaying work because of the rain when news of the tragedy reached him.

"I rushed to the farm immediately. What I saw broke my heart. My two boys were among those lying lifeless on the ground," he said.

For Jibrilla Hamma, the loss remains difficult to comprehend. He recalled meeting the children on their way to the farm earlier in the day.

"They were cheerful and playful. We exchanged jokes before they continued their journey. A few hours later, I was told they had been struck by lightning. It still feels unreal," he said.

Survivor Narrates Moment Lightning Struck

One of the survivors, Sa’adatu Isa, who had accompanied the children to the farm with her infant daughter, said the weather changed suddenly while they were harvesting groundnuts.

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She explained that because she had only one umbrella, she asked the children to gather beneath a nearby tree while they waited for the rain to subside.

"We were talking and waiting for the rain to stop when there was a loud explosion followed by a bright flash of light. After that, I remembered nothing," she said.

Sa’adatu said she regained consciousness only after relatives arrived to rescue them.

Learning that six children had died was difficult to accept, she added.

"It felt like a nightmare. I thank God for sparing my life and my daughter's life, and I pray for the souls of the children we lost."

Community in Mourning

Residents described the incident as one of the worst lightning disasters ever recorded in the community.

Adding to the families’ distress, the bodies were reportedly taken back home after the hospital's mortuary attendant was unavailable to receive them. The six children were later buried on Monday morning at Wukari Ganye Quarters in line with Islamic traditions.

Since the tragedy, sympathisers from Ganye and neighbouring communities have continued to troop into the village to console the bereaved families and pray for the recovery of those still receiving treatment.

Council Orders Investigation

Chairman of Ganye Local Government Area, Daniel Kamsobbi, expressed deep condolences to the affected families, describing the incident as a painful loss not only for Ganye but for Adamawa State as a whole.

He confirmed that six children died instantly while four others sustained injuries. According to him, a mother and her child have since been treated and discharged, while two victims remain under medical care.

Kamsobbi said the council had directed security agencies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.

He explained that authorities want to determine whether the deaths resulted solely from a natural weather event or whether other factors may have contributed.

The council chairman added that the findings would help guide future public awareness campaigns aimed at preventing similar tragedies.

Experts Warn Against Sheltering Under Trees During Storms

Environmental experts have used the incident to remind residents, especially farmers, about the dangers of taking shelter beneath trees during thunderstorms.

According to safety experts, trees often become natural targets for lightning because they are among the tallest objects in open fields. When struck, the electrical current can travel through the trunk, roots and surrounding ground, posing a deadly threat to anyone nearby.

Residents have been advised to seek refuge in sturdy buildings during thunderstorms, avoid open fields and water bodies, stay away from metal objects and electrical appliances, and remain indoors until storms pass.

For the families in Dadiri-Tirgali village, however, the warnings come too late. What began as an ordinary day on the farm has ended in grief, leaving six young lives lost and an entire community struggling to come to terms with a tragedy that unfolded in a matter of seconds.