Current:Home > NewsSignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center:Nigeria school collapse kills at least 22 students as they take exams -Wealth Empowerment Academy
SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center:Nigeria school collapse kills at least 22 students as they take exams
PredictIQ Quantitative Think Tank Center View
Date:2025-04-11 00:02:53
Jos,SignalHub Quantitative Think Tank Center Nigeria — At least 22 students were killed on Friday when a school in central Nigeria collapsed on pupils taking exams, the Associated Press reported. Trapped students were heard crying for help under the rubble after the Saint Academy school in Jos North district of Plateau State fell in on classrooms.
Mechanical diggers tried to rescue the victims while parents desperately looked for their children.
A total of 154 students were initially trapped in the rubble, but Plateau police spokesperson Alfred Alabo later said 132 of them had been rescued and were being treated for injuries in various hospitals. He said 22 students died. An earlier report by local media had said at least 12 people were killed.
With his mother at his hospital bedside him, injured student Wulliya Ibrahim told AFP: "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," he said.
The National Emergency Management Agency said the two-story building housing Saint Academy collapsed killing "several students" without giving details.
"NEMA and other critical stakeholders are presently carrying out Search and Rescue operations," it said.
A resident at the scene, Chika Obioha, told AFP he saw at least eight bodies at the site and that dozens more had been injured.
"Everyone is helping out to see if we can rescue more people," he said.
The AFP correspondent said he saw 11 bodies in the morgue at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital and five dead taken into the mortuary at the Our Lady of Apostles Hospital in Jos.
"To ensure prompt medical attention, the government has instructed hospitals to prioritize treatment without documentation or payment," Plateau state's commissioner for information, Musa Ashoms, said in a statement.
The state government blamed the tragedy on the school's "weak structure and location near a riverbank." It urged schools facing similar issues to shut down.
Building collapses are fairly common in Africa's most populous nation because of lax enforcement of building standards, negligence and use of low-quality materials. Corruption to bypass official oversight is also often blamed for Nigerian building disasters.
At least 45 people were killed in 2021 when a high-rise building under construction collapsed in the upscale Ikoyi district in Nigeria's economic capital Lagos.
Ten people were killed when a three-story building collapsed in the Ebute-Metta area of Lagos the year after.
Since 2005, at least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, according to a South African university researcher investigating construction disasters.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
- In:
- Nigeria
- Building Collapse
- Africa
veryGood! (56354)
Related
- Video shows dog chewing cellphone battery pack, igniting fire in Oklahoma home
- FDA approves first RSV vaccine for at-risk adults in their 50s
- Lewiston survivors consider looming election as gun control comes to forefront after mass shooting
- Rainbow flags rule the day as thousands turn out for LA Pride Parade
- What polling shows about Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ new running mate
- Hunter Biden’s gun trial enters its final stretch after deeply personal testimony about his drug use
- Hunter Biden’s gun trial enters its final stretch after deeply personal testimony about his drug use
- Back-to-back shark attacks injure 2 teens, adult near Florida beach; one victim loses arm
- Skins Game to make return to Thanksgiving week with a modern look
- National Weather Service forecasts more sweltering heat this week for Phoenix and Las Vegas areas
Ranking
- The 401(k) millionaires club keeps growing. We'll tell you how to join.
- Pop and power: Travis Kelce wins home run hitting contest as girlfriend Taylor Swift tours in Europe
- Caitlin Clark told Indiana Fever head coach that Team USA snub 'woke a monster'
- Trader Joe's mini cooler bags sell out fast, just like its mini totes
- Residents worried after ceiling cracks appear following reroofing works at Jalan Tenaga HDB blocks
- Taylor Swift performs Eras Tour in Edinburgh, Scotland: 'What a way to welcome a lass.'
- Mets owner Steve Cohen 'focused on winning games,' not trade deadline
- Republican contenders for Mitt Romney’s open US Senate seat face off in Utah debate
Recommendation
Big Lots store closures could exceed 300 nationwide, discount chain reveals in filing
Caitlin Clark's next game: How to watch Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun on Monday
Who are the 4 hostages rescued by Israeli forces from captivity in Gaza?
Caitlin Clark told Indiana Fever head coach that Team USA snub 'woke a monster'
Senate begins final push to expand Social Security benefits for millions of people
Takeaways from Hunter Biden’s gun trial: His family turns out as his own words are used against him
Protect Your Hair & Scalp From the Sun With These Under $50 Dermatologist Recommended Finds
Motorcyclist gets 1 to 4 years in October attack on woman’s car near Philadelphia’s City Hall