Jos building collapse: Survivors recount ordeal, death toll rises

Survivors of the storey building that collapsed in the Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State have revealed their state of mind as the building came down and buried them alive.

Their accounts came as rescue agencies and officials said the death toll had risen from four to 10, adding that efforts were still on to locate more victims.

The incident had occurred at Abu Naib Islamic School on Gero Road in the Bukuru area of the state on Sunday where the children were receiving Islamic lectures.

One of the survivors, Mamunat Mohammed, a 10-year-old girl, who was still receiving treatment at a hospital, said there was no sign that the building would come down.

She said, “We were in class on Sunday receiving Quranic lessons when I heard a loud noise. There was no time to know what happened before I found myself on this hospital bed. My waist is broken and my legs ache.

 “When the building came down, I thought the world had come to an end.”

A mother of one of the victims, Mrs. Zuwabia Ibrahim, said her daughter, Amina Ibrahim, 10, left home at about 5pm on Sunday for the Quranic lessons, adding that the venue was not too far from their house in Bukuru.

She said, “About one hour thirty minutes later, we got a   call from our friend that my daughter’s school had collapsed. I immediately called my husband and we rushed to the scene, where we were told that our daughter was alive and had been rushed to a hospital. We later found out that she was badly injured.”

However, 12-year-old Ibrahim said fate prevented him from being in the school.

Ibrahim, who spoke while visiting one of his injured friends, said he was about to go to school, but something he could not explain held him.“I thank Allah for sparing my life,” he said. 

A teacher, Mr. Useni Ibrahim, who survived the incident, said the building being used as an Islamic school was an uncompleted building belonging to a secondary school, but used on weekends to tutor children on Islamic studies. He also confirmed that other teachers were injured.

Meanwhile, our correspondent gathered that the death toll had risen to 10. A source in the Plateau State Specialists Hospital stated that two children who were rushed for treatment died on Monday , while three others   also died at a hospital in Bukuru.

The North Central Zonal Coordinator of the National Emergency Mangement Agency, Muhammad Abdulsalam, had said on Sunday that five persons died.

But the Chief Medical Director of Plateau Specialists Hospital, Dr. Philemon Golwa, confirmed to our correspondent on Monday that two survivors died at the hospital.

Meanwhile, the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong, has condoled with the families that lost their loved ones in the incidents.

The governor in a statement by his Director of Press Affairs, Mr. Emmauel Nanle, said he received the news of the incident with shock.

The statement read in part, “We received with a heavy heart the news of the collapse of the Abu – Ni’ima Islamiyya School of Islamic disciples on Quranic training.

“The building collapsed on the pupils on Sunday during a downpour, resulting in the death of some students, while 24 others injured were rushed to the Bingham Hospital and Sunnah Hospital for immediate medical attention.

“In response to the emergency, the State Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Police Force and government officials immediately mobilised to site to ensure the immediate evacuation of persons likely to have been trapped in the debris .

“The governor expresses deep concern for this loss of lives which brings to bear the necessity to ensure that public buildings conform to building standards and the need for them to be certified fit.

“In this wise, the governor has assured that all agencies of government saddled with the responsibility of ensuring that all public buildings are fit for use particularly schools; are up and doing in ensuring the safety of these structures.”