News Desk

Twenty-two children have tragically lost their lives and over 130 others have been injured following the collapse of Saint Academy in Jos, the capital of Nigeria’s Plateau state.

The school crumbled during class hours on Friday morning, trapping children under rubble. Rescue efforts, involving volunteers using excavators and tools, aimed to free those trapped beneath concrete and twisted metal rods.

Local authorities confirmed the deaths of at least 22 children, while many injured students are currently undergoing treatment in nearby hospitals. Saint Academy, which accommodates more than 1,000 pupils, suffered this catastrophic event amid heavy rains that had persisted for three days in Plateau.

Witnesses described a scene of devastation, recounting efforts to rescue survivors and retrieve the deceased. The cause of the collapse remains unclear, though local residents cited possible factors including poor construction quality exacerbated by recent adverse weather.

One injured student, Wulliya Ibrahim, recalled hearing a sudden noise in the classroom just moments before finding himself trapped. “We were taking our exams,” he recounted from his hospital bed. The incident has shocked the community, prompting an outpouring of support and condolences from organizations like Unicef Nigeria.

This incident underscores broader concerns about building safety in Nigeria, where past collapses have been attributed to substandard construction practices, the use of low-quality materials, and corruption.