At least 17 persons have been confirmed dead while over 120 others were hospitalised following the collapse of a two storey building at Saint Academy, in Busa Buji community, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau state.
The unfortunate incident occurred on Friday at about 8 am when the students were said to be writing their exams.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sunday Àbdu, confirmed that so far, 17 persons died in the incident.
Also, the Plateau state commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, said in a statement on Friday that 120 persons were trapped under the rubbles of the collapsed building and were evacuated to the hospital
He said the state government was deeply saddened over the unfortunate incident.
The commissioner said the victims involved students and teachers who were taken to different hospitals within Jos.
The statement described the incident as an avoidable tragedy, citing the school’s weak structure and unsafe location near a riverbank.
The statement commended the efforts of NEMA, SEMA, Red Cross and security agencies in rescuing the trapped children, their teachers and transporting them to hospitals.
The commissioner said, the state government has instructed hospitals to prioritise treatment without documentation or payment.
“The Commissioner of Health has also ordered all major hospitals in Jos to attend to the victims.
“Approximately 120 people were trapped, with many evacuated.
“The government emphasises the importance of adhering to safety standards, making Executive Order 003 sacrosanct.
“Schools with similar issues are urged to close down, enabling the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) to prevent future incidents,” he said.
Ashoms emphasised the importance of prioritising safety standards to prevent tragedies.
On his part, the SEMA Executive Secretary said the incident was very sad.
He said, “The fact remains that the casualty figures keep changing. In Bingham University Teaching Hospital Jos, there are 13 dead bodies and 43 persons receiving medical attention.
“In OLA Specialist Hospital, we have over 40 receiving attention. In Plateau Specialists Hospital, we have four dead bodies with 40 people receiving treatment.
“We also have some casualties who were evacuated to the Jos University Teaching Hospital, but I don’t have the figure at the moment.”
