A tragic incident unfolded in north-central Nigeria on Friday morning when a two-story school building collapsed during classes, trapping approximately 120 students and teachers. The collapse, which occurred at Saints Academy College in Plateau state’s Busa Buji community, sparked a frantic search and rescue operation. Local media reported 12 fatalities, though official figures remain unconfirmed. According to Channels Television, 26 individuals are receiving treatment at a nearby hospital.
Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has deployed rescue and health workers, along with security forces, to the scene. The Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, confirmed that numerous individuals were trapped, but many have since been evacuated. In response to the emergency, the state government has directed hospitals to prioritize the treatment of victims without requiring documentation or payment.
The state government attributes the disaster to the school’s weak structure and its precarious location near a riverbank. Officials have urged other schools with similar vulnerabilities to cease operations immediately. The collapse has drawn dozens of villagers to the site, where they have expressed their grief and offered assistance as excavators continue to sift through the debris. Emotional scenes have unfolded, including a woman seen wailing and being restrained from approaching the rubble.
Building collapses have become alarmingly frequent in Nigeria, with over a dozen incidents reported in the last two years. These tragedies are often blamed on the lax enforcement of building safety regulations and poor maintenance practices. The Plateau State police command confirmed that at least 22 people lost their lives in this recent collapse. Around 154 students were initially trapped under the debris, according to police reports.
The Saints Academy building collapsed during school hours while classes were in session. The school premises were crowded with anxious parents searching for their children. Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Emmanuel Adesina, reported that 132 rescued individuals are currently receiving medical treatment. Many parents, upon discovering the bodies of their children, are in deep mourning.
Rescue efforts involve not only emergency workers but also volunteers and officials. Heavy machinery, including excavators, is being used to dig through the rubble. The school had a student population of over one thousand, but the exact cause of the collapse remains undetermined. Parents are flocking to hospitals in Jos metropolis, desperately seeking their missing children. Medical professionals have called for blood donations to support the many injured.
Eyewitness Samuel Akpan described the chaos that followed the collapse. He was in a shop opposite the school when he heard a loud noise and saw the building come down. Initially, locals struggled to respond due to a lack of tools and emergency services. Akpan mentioned that some people were rescued with basic tools, but many remained trapped. He hopes the ongoing rescue operations, supported by various agencies and individuals, will yield more survivors.
Not fewer than eleven individuals have been confirmed dead following the building collapse. LEADERSHIP’s correspondent reported that seven bodies were recovered from the wreckage, and 38 injured persons were taken to the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, where three more succumbed to their injuries. The scene is marked by the heartbreaking cries of grieving mothers and youths.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency, Hon. Sunday Abdu, stated that the agency swiftly mobilized personnel and relevant agencies to coordinate rescue efforts. Additionally, the Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Eugene Nyelong, indicated that the final casualty count would only be determined after rescue operations are completed.
Two-story School Building collapsed during classes in Plateau state
REALTED POST: Tragic Building Collapse Claims Lives of Two Sisters in Ogun State
One thought on “Two-story School Building collapsed during classes in Plateau state”