A devastating incident unfolded in Jos, the capital of Nigeria’s Plateau state, as a school building collapsed on Friday morning, resulting in the deaths of 22 children and injuring at least 132 others.
The tragedy occurred at Saint Academy, a school with over 1,000 pupils, while students were in their classrooms.
Emergency responders and local volunteers worked tirelessly, using excavators, hammers, and even their bare hands to break through the debris of concrete and twisted metal to reach those trapped beneath. The scale of the disaster has shocked the community, with local resident Abel Fuandai describing the tragedy as “frightening” to the BBC.
Eyewitness accounts paint a harrowing picture of the events. Injured student Wulliya Ibrahim told AFP, “I entered the class not more than five minutes when I heard a sound, and the next thing is I found myself here.”
The collapse occurred while students were writing exams, adding to the heartbreak of the situation.
Local officials point to three days of heavy rainfall preceding the collapse, which may have contributed to the building’s failure. This incident has reignited concerns about building safety standards in Nigeria, with several major collapses occurring in recent years. Experts often attribute these tragedies to a combination of poor workmanship, substandard materials, and corruption in the construction industry.
The international community has expressed its condolences, with UNICEF Nigeria representative Cristian Munduate writing on social media, “Devastated by the tragic loss of young lives at Saint Academy. Children full of dreams were writing exams when the school building collapsed. Deepest condolences to families affected.”
There have been several major building collapses in Nigeria in recent years, with observers blaming a mix of bad workmanship, poor quality materials and corruption.
In 2021, at least 45 people were killed when a high-rise building under construction collapsed in a wealthy Lagos neighbourhood.
The state government has launched an investigation into the incident, citing the school’s “weak structure and unsafe location near a riverbank” as potential factors.
They have advised other schools with structural concerns to close immediately. Additionally, hospitals in Jos have been directed to prioritize treating the injured, regardless of documentation or payment requirements.
