ABUJA, NIGERIA – Tragedy struck in north-central Nigeria when a two-story school building collapsed during morning classes on Friday, resulting in the death of 22 students and leaving more than 100 individuals trapped under the debris. The incident occurred at Saints Academy college in Plateau state’s Busa Buji community.
According to the Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo, 154 students were initially trapped beneath the rubble following the collapse. Through frantic rescue efforts, 132 students have been extracted and are currently receiving medical treatment at various hospitals, while 22 fatalities have been confirmed. The situation drew a heart-wrenching scene as family members and villagers gathered, some weeping and others trying to assist, as rescue operations continued.
The building’s collapse has been attributed to its weak structure and proximity to a riverbank, as noted by Plateau state officials who are now urging educational facilities with similar issues to cease operations. In response to the disaster, the state government has directed hospitals to prioritize the treatment of the injured, waiving the need for up-front documentation and payments.
Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, has seen a worrying trend of building collapses in recent years, with more than a dozen such incidents recorded in the last two years alone. Often, these tragedies are linked to the lack of enforcement of building regulations and poor maintenance standards.
The National Emergency Management Agency, along with local health and security forces, are actively involved at the scene as the search for trapped students continues amid hopes for finding more survivors. The local community remains in shock as they mourn the young lives lost and await further details from ongoing investigations.