The Plateau State Government has reported that 22 individuals have died and 132 have been injured following the collapse of a school in Busa Buji, located in the Jos North Local Government Area.
Musa Ashoms, the Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, made this announcement in a statement released on Friday evening.
“As of 6:00 pm, 154 people have been rescued from the debris. Sadly, 22 individuals have been confirmed deceased,” the statement read.
“Injured students and staff are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals across Jos.”
Ashoms, who visited the scene of the collapsed two-storey building, mentioned that the school had a total enrollment of 400 students, with around 200 present in the affected section at the time of the collapse. Emergency workers promptly transported the survivors to nearby hospitals.
“To ensure prompt medical attention, the government has directed all major hospitals in Jos to prioritize treatment of the victims, regardless of documentation or payment,” the commissioner said.
“Governor Barrister Mutfwang has specifically instructed these hospitals to accommodate all those affected by the collapse.”
Ashoms also noted that the collapsed building did not meet the required standards and urged other schools with similar structural issues to close down immediately.
“You can see that it is by the river bank and, from your eye evaluation, you know that it is not a very strong structure,” he said.
“We are calling on other schools that didn’t follow plans that have similar issues to close down in the interest of our state and our people because we have established a committee to go around,” the commissioner added.
Building collapses are relatively common in Nigeria, due to poor enforcement of construction standards, negligence, and the use of low-quality materials.
In 2021, at least 45 people died when a high-rise building under construction collapsed in the upscale Ikoyi district of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic capital. The following year, ten people were killed when a three-storey building collapsed in the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos.
Since 2005, at least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, according to a South African university researcher studying construction disasters. Poor workmanship, substandard materials, and corruption to circumvent official oversight are often cited as causes.