A horrific school collapse in central Nigeria on Friday resulted in the deaths of at least 21 individuals, primarily students, according to the Red Cross and eyewitness reports.
Scores of others sustained injuries during the incident at Saint Academy in Jos North district, Plateau State.
The two-story building gave way while students were taking exams.
Distressing accounts emerged from the scene, with trapped students crying for help beneath the rubble. Rescue workers, along with desperate parents searching for their children, rushed to the location.
Images captured the aftermath, showing crowds gathered around the collapsed concrete structure and debris piles.
“We are many in the class, we are writing our exams,” recounted injured student Wulliya Ibrahim from his hospital bed, where his mother accompanied him.
He described entering the classroom just minutes before a loud crash and then finding himself in the hospital.
The National Emergency Management Agency initially reported “several students” killed, but the Red Cross confirmed a grim toll of 21 fatalities with 69 injured who required hospitalization.
Eyewitnesses described a chaotic rescue effort, with residents assisting in the search for survivors. Hospitals confirmed receiving bodies and injured students.
The cause of the collapse remains under investigation, though residents connected it to heavy rainfall over the preceding three days.
This tragedy highlights a recurring issue in Nigeria building disasters caused by lax enforcement of construction standards, negligence, and substandard materials. This incident follows similar collapses in Lagos, claiming numerous lives.
