A police inspector attached to the Borno State Police Command, Abdulkadir Garba, popularly known as “Buratai,” has died after being struck by lightning during a rainstorm while on duty in Maiduguri.
The incident was confirmed in a statement shared on X by the Police Public Relations Officer of the command, ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso Anipr, Fcai.
According to the report, the tragedy occurred at about 2:19 p.m. on Wednesday, May 7, 2026, directly opposite the Borno State Police Command Headquarters.
Garba was said to have been carrying out his routine duty of coordinating vehicle parking alongside his senior colleague, ASP Wazani Adamu, when strong winds began to signal an approaching downpour.
The officers reportedly attempted to take cover before a loud thunderclap was heard, followed by a lightning strike that hit them.
While ASP Wazani Adamu survived the incident, Inspector Garba sadly died after sustaining partial burns from the strike.
The command described the late officer as a dedicated and hardworking personnel who served diligently despite harsh weather conditions.
“In a cruel twist of nature, a man who stood daily under the scorching sun and uncertain weather to maintain order and serve humanity lost his life, not to violence or conflict, but to the force of the storm,” the statement read.
