*Tinubu Sympathises With Victims
THE Plateau State Government has confirmed 22 dead and 132 injured persons in the collapsed school building in Jos, the state capital.
Commissioner for Information, Mr. Musa Ashoms, said six of the injured were in critical condition, while others were receiving treatment at various tertiary health facilities in the state, even as the bodies of the deceased had been deposited in the mortuaries.
He stated: “As of 6:00 pm,154 people have been removed from the debris.
“Sadly, 22 individuals have died. The injured students and staff are receiving medical treatment at various hospitals across Jos.
“Breakdown of hospital admissions and casualties shows that 39 were hospitalised at Plateau State Specialist Hospital, where three deaths were dead.
“Our Lady of Apostles (OLA) Hospital had 32 hospitalised and five deaths; Bingham University Teaching Hospital, 55 hospitalised and 14 deaths and in Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), six were hospitalised and there was no death,” he said.
The two-storey building of Saints Academy, a secondary and primary school located at Busa-Buji community of Jos North Local Council, collapsed about 8.30am on Friday, July 12, trapping students, teachers and others, as the students were writing their third term examinations.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang has described the incident as a tragic and monumental loss to the state.
Mutfwang, in a statement issued by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Mr. Gyang Bere, on Friday, in Jos, sympathised with the families of the affected victims, described the incident as heart-wrenching and unfortunate.
“This is tragic, unfortunate, heart-wrenching and a gloomy situation. We appreciate the timely intervention of the search and rescue team, as well as members of the public, who rushed to the school premises to assist in evacuating some of the surviving students and staff.
“I have directed the relevant government agencies, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and Plateau State Emergency Management Agency to provide necessary support to survivors.
“Words cannot fully comfort the grieving families over their immense loss, so we pray that God will continue to console and uphold them during this difficult period,” Mutfwang said.
Highlighting the significance and broader purpose of Executive Order 003, recently signed into law, Mutfwang clarified that its intent was to safeguard citizens from such disasters, adding: “The rationale for the Executive Order 003 is to prevent Jos from deteriorating into a slum and to ensure compliance with building regulations, in line with the Greater Jos Master Plan.”
Activities at the school and its immediate environment were disrupted when the two-story building caved in on students and their teachers, trapping over 70 pupils, among others.
Panic-stricken and desperate residents quickly rushed to the scene to provide help, as screams for help rent the air. They were soon joined by emergency workers in the efforts to remove the rubble to rescue those trapped underneath.
Twelve bodies were initially pulled out of the rubble by afternoon, while dozens were injured and evacuated to nearby hospitals, including Our Lady of Apostles Hospital and Bingham Hospital.
Thirty-four injured persons were treated at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, with two of them sustaining spinal cord injuries.
Meanwhile, rescue efforts continued at the scene late into the evening, with wailing of sirens from ambulances and desperate parents eager to ascertain the fate of their children.
The Joint Security Task Force, Operation Safe Haven, mobilised five vans and 30 soldiers to support the rescue efforts, as emergency workers, supported by volunteers, security personnel and members of the Red Cross used excavators to rescue pupils still trapped under the rubble.
Ashoms had earlier confirmed that about 200 out of the about 400 students of the school were trapped in the building when he visited the scene in the company of other commissioners.
He said: “The collapsed building has resulted in casualties and injured students are still being evacuated to hospitals. We cannot however, ascertain the exact number of casualties until the evacuation is completed
“The emergency workers are doing a lot in the rescue efforts. Governor Caleb Mutfwang has urged the medical personnel in the hospitals to ensure that they save the lives of survivors. They should not ask for money or anything, because this is an emergency situation.”
He disclosed that the collapsed school building was built on a waterlogged area and clearly did not meet construction standards.
Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has expressed profound grief over the incident.
His spokesman, Mr. Ajuri Ngelale, in a statement on Friday, said the President described the incident as a huge loss to the country and a devastating development, too excruciating to imagine.
He stated: “The President condoles with the bereaved families, families of all the victims and the people and Government of Plateau State.
“President Tinubu commends emergency responders- the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), security agencies and all citizens involved in the search, rescue and resuscitation efforts.
“The President assures the people of Plateau State of his fervent support at this difficult time.”
