School building collapses in Plateau, killing 22, injuring 130

BY ORIAKU IJELE

Tragedy struck yesterday, disrupting activities at Saints Academy, a secondary school located in Busa Buji, Jos North when the school’s two-storey building collapsed on students and their teachers.

An eyewitness told Saturday Times that aid came in a timely fashion, which contributed a great deal in reducing the casualty figures to 22 deaths and 130 injured persons as at the time of filing this report. He said, “Residents quickly descended on the scene to provide help as screams for help rented the air. They were joined by emergency workers to battle the rubble to rescue those trapped underneath.”

Meanwhile, Plateau State Government has confirmed 22 deaths and 132 injured persons. Musa Ashoms, the commissioner for Information, said six of the injured were in critical condition.

Ashoms said that those injured were receiving treatment in various tertiary health facilities in the state, while the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuaries.

The incident occured at about 8:30 a.m. on Friday, when the students were writing their third term examination.

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Gov. Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau, has described the incident as a tragic and a monumental loss to the state.

Mutfwang said this in a statement issued by Mr Gyang Bere, his Director of Press and Public Affairs, on Friday in Jos.

The governor, who sympathised with the families of the affected victims, further described the incident as heart-wrenching and unfortunate.

”This is tragic, unfortunate, heart-wrenching and a gloomy situation.

”We appreciate the timely intervention of the search and rescue team, as well as members of the public, who rushed to the school premises to assist in evacuating some of the surviving students and staff.

”I have directed the relevant government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), and Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, to provide necessary support to survivors.

”Words cannot fully comfort the grieving families over their immense loss, so we pray that God will continue to console and uphold them during this difficult period,” Mutfwang said.

Highlighting the significance and broader purpose of Executive Order 003, recently signed into law, Mutfwang clarified that its intent was to safeguard citizens from such disasters.

”The rationale for the executive order 003 is to prevent Jos from deteriorating into a slum, and to ensure compliance with building regulations in line with the Greater Jos Master Plan,” the governor said.