The Plateau State Government has expressed deep sorrow following the collapse of a school building in Jos, the state capital, on Friday. The incident at Saint Academy in the Busa Buji community claimed the lives of 17 individuals, with more than 120 others trapped under the rubble.
According to Musa Ashoms, the State Commissioner for Information, the tragic collapse occurred around 8:30 am while students and teachers were inside their classrooms. In a statement, Ashoms described the incident as avoidable, citing the weak structure of the school and its unsafe proximity to a riverbank.
“The Plateau State Government has expressed deep sadness over the tragic incident at Saint Academy Jos, where a building collapsed resulting in casualties and injured students and teachers still being evacuated to different hospitals within Jos,” the statement read.
Acknowledging the efforts of NEMA, SEMA, Red Cross, and security agencies in rescue operations, Ashoms emphasized the government’s directive to hospitals to prioritize treatment for victims without the need for documentation or payment.
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“The Commissioner of Health has also ordered all major hospitals in Jos to attend to the victims,” Ashoms added. “Approximately 120 people were trapped, with many evacuated.”
He underscored the importance of adhering to safety standards and mentioned Executive Order 003, urging schools with similar issues to cease operations while authorities ensure preventative measures are in place.
Sunday Àbdu, the Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), confirmed the death toll and provided updates on medical care for the injured across various hospitals in Jos.
“We have finished the rescue mission at least for today. We are just closing from the site,” Àbdu said, expressing sadness over the incident and detailing the distribution of casualties among local hospitals.
The tragic collapse serves as a stark reminder of the critical need to uphold safety standards and prevent such incidents in the future.