Dozen of students killed after a two-storey school building collapsed in central Nigeria. Authorities have launched a frantic search for over 100 people trapped in the rubble.
The Saint Academy building in Plateau state’s Busa Buji community collapsed on Friday. Students, many of whom were 15 or younger, had just arrived for classes. Initially, 154 students were trapped. Police spokesman Alfred Alabo reported that rescuers have since saved 132 students, who are now receiving treatment in various hospitals.
The Associated Press confirmed that 22 students were killed. Earlier reports by Nigerian media had said at least 12 people were killed. Nigeria’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) stated that 30 people remain in hospital. NEMA declared the rescue operation complete and the site cleared.
Rescue workers used heavy machinery to reach the victims. Images from the scene showed crowds around the collapsed building and piles of rubble. Dozens of villagers gathered near the school. Some wept, while others offered help as excavators combed through the debris.
NEMA reported that rescue and health workers, along with security forces, were deployed immediately after the collapse. They launched a search for the trapped students. Plateau state’s commissioner for information, Musa Ashoms, stated that hospitals have been instructed to prioritize treatment without documentation or payment.
The state government blamed the tragedy on the school’s weak structure and its location near a riverbank. They urged schools facing similar issues to shut down.
Building collapses are becoming common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country. More than a dozen such incidents have been recorded in the last two years. Authorities often blame these disasters on failure to enforce building safety regulations, use of substandard construction materials, and poor maintenance.
The tragic incident at Saint Academy highlights the urgent need for stricter building regulations to prevent further loss of life. The community mourns the students killed in this devastating collapse.
