The Plateau State Government has expressed deep sorrow over the collapse of a school building in Jos, the state capital, on Friday.
The tragic incident at Saint Academy, located in the Busa Buji community, has resulted in the confirmed deaths of 17 individuals, with over 120 people trapped in the rubble.
The collapse occurred around 8:30 am, while students and teachers were in their classes. Musa Ashoms, the state Commissioner for Information, provided an update, stating that 120 persons were trapped under the debris.
In a statement, Ashoms conveyed the government’s profound sadness over the incident, which has led to the loss of lives and injuries to students and teachers. The statement criticized the school’s weak structure and unsafe location near a riverbank, labeling the event as an avoidable tragedy.
However, Ashoms praised the rescue efforts of NEMA, SEMA, the Red Cross, and security agencies in evacuating trapped individuals and transporting them to hospitals. He emphasized that hospitals have been instructed to prioritize treatment without the need for documentation or payment. The Commissioner of Health has directed all major hospitals in Jos to attend to the victims urgently.
Approximately 120 people were trapped, with many successfully evacuated. Ashoms underscored the importance of adhering to safety standards, urging schools with similar structural issues to close down so the Jos Metropolitan Development Board can prevent future incidents.
The Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Sunday Abdu, confirmed the death toll of 17 following the collapse. He described the incident as tragic and noted that the casualty figures are continuously updating. At Bingham University Teaching Hospital in Jos, there are 13 deceased and 43 receiving medical care. OLA Specialist Hospital is treating over 40 individuals, while Plateau Specialists Hospital has four deceased and 40 injured. Additional casualties have been transported to Jos University Teaching Hospital, though exact numbers are currently unavailable.