School building collapses in Nigeria - 22 dead
Shortly after school start, a Nigerian school building collapses and kills over 200 students. 22 die. The government sends additional security forces.
According to authorities, at least 22 people have died after a two-story school building collapsed in Nigeria. The building collapse occurred shortly after students of Saints Academy College, in the Busa Buji community in Plateau State, had arrived for classes on a Friday morning.
Many of the affected were 15 years old or younger. Reports indicate that over 200 students were in the collapsed building, with most rescued and taken to the hospital by Saturday afternoon.
Crowds of villagers gathered at the scene to offer assistance to the rescue teams. Immediately following the building collapse, besides rescue and medical personnel, security forces were also dispatched to the site, as the Nigerian Disaster Management Agency announced.
Multiple buildings in Nigeria collapse
To ensure that victims receive medical help promptly, the Plateau State government has instructed local hospitals to treat them for free and not require them to present themselves beforehand, announced the Plateau State Information Commissioner, Musa Ashoms.
The Plateau State government attributed the collapse to poor building materials and the school's location near a river. In recent years, numerous buildings have collapsed in Nigeria, the most populous country in Africa. Officially reported collapses in the 21 million-population Lagos metropolis alone numbered at least 152. Often, unchecked building regulations and poor maintenance are blamed for these collapses.
The international community expresses condolences following the school collapse in Nigeria. Many international schools in Nigeria have since conducted safety inspections of their buildings.
Despite the tragedy, several international organizations have pledged to support the rebuilding of Saints Academy College, an international school in Nigeria.
