At least 16 students tragically lost their lives on Friday when the Saint Academy school collapsed in Jos North district, Plateau State, central Nigeria. According to reports from an AFP correspondent at the scene, the incident occurred while students were taking exams, leaving many trapped under the rubble and sparking a frantic rescue effort.
Parents anxiously searched for their children amidst the debris as rescue teams, utilizing heavy machinery, worked tirelessly to reach those trapped inside. Heart-wrenching scenes showed crowds gathered around the collapsed concrete structure, with piles of rubble marking the devastating aftermath.
Authorities initially reported "several students" killed, but accounts from eyewitnesses and hospital sources confirmed the grim toll. One hospital morgue held five bodies, while another contained 11—all dressed in school uniforms, highlighting the young age of the victims.
Wulliya Ibrahim, an injured student recovering in the hospital with his mother by his side, recounted the harrowing experience: "I entered the class not more than five minutes, when I heard a sound, and the next thing is I found myself here. We are many in the class, we are writing our exams."
The National Emergency Management Agency confirmed that the collapse involved a two-storey building housing Saint Academy and stated that search and rescue operations had been completed. Details on the exact cause of the collapse were promised at a later time.
Chika Obioha, a witness at the scene, described the chaotic aftermath, noting that efforts were underway to rescue more people. He reported seeing eight bodies initially, with numerous others injured.
At the Bingham University Teaching Hospital and Our Lady of Apostles Hospital in Jos, bodies of the deceased were solemnly brought in, as at least 15 injured students received medical attention. Rescue operations were marked by the mobilization of heavy machinery and the collaborative efforts of volunteers and emergency responders.
The incident's cause remains under investigation, although local residents attributed the collapse to three days of heavy rainfall in Plateau State preceding the tragedy.
This catastrophic event underscores ongoing concerns about building safety in Nigeria, where lax enforcement of construction standards, negligence, and the use of low-quality materials are persistent issues. Similar incidents have tragically occurred in the past, including the collapse of a high-rise under construction in Lagos in 2021 that claimed 45 lives, and a three-storey building collapse in Ebute-Metta the following year that resulted in ten fatalities.
A researcher from a South African university studying construction disasters reported that since 2005, at least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos alone. Such incidents are often attributed to substandard workmanship, the use of inferior materials, and corruption undermining regulatory oversight.
Efforts to improve construction standards and enforce regulations continue, but the Saint Academy tragedy serves as a stark reminder of the critical need for stringent safety measures in building practices across Nigeria.
As the nation mourns the loss of young lives in this preventable disaster, questions about accountability and measures to prevent future tragedies loom large.
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