More details of the tragedy that struck in Jos, Plateau State, when the Saint Academy Secondary School building suddenly collapsed have emerged from the survivors -students, teachers, parents of the victims, the school authorities and the state government.
In the incident which occurred on Friday, 22 students were confirmed dead. Although no fresh casualties were disclosed yesterday, the devastating incident has left countless families in mourning, with many more lives hanging in the balance.
Several surviving students and teachers, who were rushed to several hospitals in the state capital, yesterday narrated their narrow escape to LEADERSHIP Sunday.
Meanwhile, 81 victims have been discharged from hospitals, but 58 others remain hospitalised, their injuries a grim reminder of the disaster that unfolded.
The scene is one of utter chaos and heartbreak, a stark reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of ensuring the safety and well-being of children.
“As we struggle to come to terms with this unimaginable loss, our thoughts and prayers are with the affected families, and we can only hope for a miracle for those who may still be trapped beneath the debris,” a sympathiser said.
One of the parents of the survivors, Mercy, who gave his name as IG Action Man, told our correspondent that when the incident happened and his daughter was brought to the hospital, they thought that the state government would take the responsibility of paying the bills, but “it is unfortunate that I am paying for x-ray, and other hospitals consumables.
“As you can see, we are going to be discharged today, and they are preparing the bill to give us to pay before we are discharged.”
He appealed to the state government to carry out integrity tests on public buildings periodically to ascertain their state to prevent future incidents.
It was learnt that one woman had four children in the school and lost all of them in the incident.
Residents said on hearing the news, she collapsed and died immediately.
Her husband, too, when informed about what happened to his family, allegedly fainted and died at the spot.
However, nobody was ready to give their identities and residence.
Mercy Chikeze, an SSI, said some of her classmates noticed cracks in the wall of their classroom and decided to alert others. Before they could run to another class for safety, the building collapsed on them.
“We were rescued and brought to the hospital before we regained consciousness,” she said.
Sadatu Usman, an SS1 student who also survived the incident, was in her class when the roof fell on them.
According to her, they were completely buried in the rubble before rescuers came with diggers, shovels and other equipment to rescue them.
She said, “I woke this morning to find myself on the hospital bed with a broken leg.”
Similarly, a female teacher who also survived the accident, Mrs Ruth Habila, told LEADERSHIP Sunday that she was in the class teaching, and when she lifted her eyes, she saw a big crack on the wall.
She asked the students if they noticed the cracked wall when they came to school, and they told her no.
“Before we could say anything, the building collapsed, and I found myself and other students in the rubble. But to God be the glory, I am better than yesterday, ” Habila said.
Ebuka Efenime, an SS1 student now on his sick bed at Plateau Specialist Hospital, said he was under the rubble for one hour.
In his account, Efenime said he and his classmates were doing revision when the building that showed no sign suddenly collapsed on them.
All he could remember was seeing the wall of his class coming down and they were buried in the rubble.
He added that he became unconscious but later found himself on the bed at Plateau Hospital where he had fractures in two of his legs
Ebuka was not able to say the number of his classmates who were affected because they were brought to the hospital separately.
Uwem Edet Jonah, a pastor, an eyewitness, and also a parent, told LEADERSHIP Sunday at the site of the collapsed building that the unfortunate incident would have been averted if the state government had taken measures right from the onset.
According to him, “those who are very conversant with this terrain had long seen that one day something like this is going to happen because this particular structure was not well evaluated.”
Jonah pointed out that the civil and structural engineers concerned did not take a comprehensive evaluation of the building.
He explained that when the building was being constructed, the state government intervened, as the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) came and marked the building for demolition.
Jonah lamented that, ultimately, nothing happened, adding that the construction of the building, right from its inception, was illegal because the structure was not supposed to be in that particular place.
“This place where this building is sited is a swampy area which is prone to the situation we find ourselves in today. ”
According to him, to prevent the occurrence of incidents of this magnitude in the future, the state government should fully evaluate all structures, especially those used by the general public.
The school principal, Mr. Daramola Ekundayo, debunked the report that the building itself was weak before it collapsed.
According to him, on a daily basis, he conducted camera checks and monitored the building twice, in the morning and evening, to ascertain the area they needed to work on but had not discovered any cracks.
He said the total number of students is 254, adding that not all of them are affected. He also denied that some of his teachers were missing.
According to him, Saint Academy Secondary School was established in 2006 with the state government’s approval, adding that the certificate was in the custody of the school proprietor, a woman who was said to have died about three years ago.
Speaking on the development, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Institute of Building and board member of the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria, Prof Yohana Izam, called on state governments to intensify action against building collapses by formulating policies that will ensure effective construction practices and monitoring of the built environment.
He noted that the national building code approved by the federal government could easily be domesticated by states through legislation to provide minimum standards for building planning, design, construction, and post-occupancy.
Prof. Izam stated this while speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday at the site of the collapsed two-storey building at Busa Buji, Jos.
81 Victims Discharged, 58 Still Hospitalised
Meanwhile, no fewer than 81 victims of the school building collapse in Jos have been discharged from the various hospitals they were admitted to.
Dr Abel Izang, the chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of Plateau Specialist Hospital, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Jos.
The Saints Academy, a secondary and primary school in Jos, had collapsed on Friday while students were writing their third term examination.
said of the 39 patients hospitalised on Friday, 23 had been discharged, while two were referred to the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), due to spinal injuries.
Izang further said that the five patients still on admission were in stable condition.
Similarly, Prof. Steve Anzaku, the chief medical director (CMD) of Bingham University Teaching Hospital, said that out of the 55 hospitalised, 23 were discharged, and those on admission were in stable condition.
Mrs Chioma Ofodille , the public relations officer of Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Hospital, said 23 of the 32 patients brought to the facility had been discharged, while the remaining nine were in stable condition.
Dr Josiah Njem, the chairman of the Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC) of the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), told NAN that the six victims of the collapsed building, hospitalised in the hospital with various injuries, were in stable condition.
“As of this release, 58 individuals are still hospitalised, while 74 have been treated and discharged. Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) has six, Plateau State Specialist Hospital has six undergoing treatment, Bingham University Teaching Hospital has 14 and Our Lady of Apostles Hospital has 32 patients,” he added.
Meanwhile, Plateau State House of Assembly has promised to make new laws that would address the menace of building collapse in the state.
The state government confirmed 22 deaths and 154 injuries at the Saint Academy, Jos school building collapse that took place on Friday morning.
Tinubu, Governors Mourn, FG To Probe Disaster
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has lamented the tragic collapse of Jos school building,
Tinubu, in a statement by his media aide, Ajuri Ngelale, described the unfortunate incident as a huge loss to the nation and a devastating development – too excruciating to imagine.
The president condoled with the bereaved families, families of all the victims, and the people and Government of Plateau State.
He commended emergency responders, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), security agencies, and all citizens involved in the search, rescue, and resuscitation efforts.
The president assured the people of Plateau State of his support at this difficult time.
Tinubu’s wife, Remi, also expressed grief over the recent school building collapse in Jos, Plateau State.
In a statement on Saturday, the First Lady conveyed her condolences to the affected families and the entire state.
Senator Tinubu described the loss of young lives with promising futures as “disheartening.
She said, “It is disheartening to lose these children with a promising future. Words are not enough to console you, but I pray that God comforts you all and grants you the strength to bear the devastating loss. May the souls of these our precious ones rest in perfect peace. Amen.
Plateau Gov Mutfwang Declares 3 Days Of Mourning
Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang has declared three days of mourning in response to the tragic loss of lives and injuries sustained by teachers and students of Saints Academy, Jos, following the school building collapse.
Mutfwang directing that, during the period, all flags would be flown at half-mast to honour the victims of the school building collapse in Jos.
The commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr Musa Ashoms, said the governor declared the mourning shortly after visiting the scene and hospitals where the injured were recuperating.
Mutfwang, who extended his heartfelt condolences to the families affected by the devastating incident, urged citizens to follow building codes and ethics to prevent such tragedies.
“There is an urgent need for all developers and property owners to submit their building plans to the Jos Metropolitan Development Board (JMDB) for verification and revalidation, as part of enforcing Executive Order 003.”
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has commiserated with the people and government of Plateau State on the collapse of a school building in Jos and the resulting deaths of many schoolchildren.
The governor, in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Rafiu AJakaye, said the incident was sad and devastating.
He specifically commiserated with Governor Caleb Mutfwang and the families of the victims.
Obi, APC Console Plateau Victims
Also, the Labour Party presidential candidate in the 2023 general elections, Mr Peter Obi, commiserated with the bereaved families of the Plateau school building collapse.
He described as disheartening the tragic incident of the collapse of a school building in Jos on July 12.
Obi stated this via his X handle on Saturday, while expressing regret at the deaths and injuries caused by the unfortunate incident
The All Progressives Congress (APC) says it is deeply saddened by news of the collapse of the Saint Academy School building in Busa Buji, Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau.
While reacting to the development, Mr Felix Morka, the party’s national publicity secretary, said in a statement on Saturday in Abuja, that the incident was regrettable.
“We send our heartfelt condolences to the families of the innocent lives lost and best wishes for speedy recovery to those injured by the tragic incident.
“The incident is unbearably heartbreaking as the children and adults killed and injured were in the place they were supposed to be, in school, doing exactly what was expected of them,” Morka said.
