Just In: Atiku React In Tears After School-Building Collapses In Jos

Just In: Atiku React In Tears After School-Building Collapses In Jos

Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed sadness over the collapse of a two-storey secondary school building in the Busa-Buji area of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State.

Ireporteronline reported that the catastrophic incident occurred on Friday morning at Saints Academy in Jos while the students were engaged in their third-term examinations, trapping about 200 of them beneath the debris.

The Plateau State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Mr. Musa Ashoms, confirmed the distressing event to newsmen during a visit to the site.

The commissioner, accompanied by other state officials, including the Commissioner for Secondary Education, reported that the school hosts approximately 400 students, with half of them present in the section that succumbed to structural failure.

Rescue operations are underway, and the extent of casualties remains unclear as efforts to evacuate the injured to local hospitals continue.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang has directed hospital staff to prioritize the care of the survivors without concern for immediate payment, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

In a statement via X, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate in the 2023 election prayed for the families and friends of those lost in the incident.

Atiku stated that the tragedy served as a stark reminder for governments at all levels to prioritize the approval and supervision of buildings to ensure their safety and integrity.

He said, “I am devastated by the tragic collapse of the two-storey secondary school building in the Busa-Buji area of Jos North Local Government Area, Plateau State, which claimed the lives of innocent students. It is even more heartrending that these students were writing exams when the disaster struck.

“My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones.

“As we grieve the loss of these precious children, let this tragedy serve as a stark reminder for governments at all levels to prioritise the approval and supervision of buildings to ensure their safety and integrity. A thorough investigation must be conducted, and those responsible are held fully accountable under the law”