Plateau shuts down school over building collapse

Caleb Mutfwang, governor of Plateau, has ordered the immediate closure of The Saints Academy School over the collapse of its building.

On Friday, about 22 people were confirmed killed after a two-storey school building collapsed in the Busa Buji community of Jos north LGA of the state.

The incident, which had about 132 people injured, was said to have occurred while students and teachers were in classes for the third term examination. Speaking during the inspection of the site on Saturday, the governor described the incident as “unfortunate”.

He noted that the incident could have been averted if the owners of the school had complied with building laws.

“It is unfortunate that this has happened, but, of course, we cannot allow the school to function,” the Pleatue governor said.

“The school is hereby closed down immediately; we cannot take any further chances.

‘We need to send this message, particularly to owners of private schools, that the drive for profit must not overshadow the safety of lives.”

Mutfwang said the state would commence a technical audit of private and public schools to test the integrity of their buildings.

He added that the state would set up a committee to investigate the incident, noting that anyone who is found wanting would be prosecuted.

“We are going to carry out a technical audit of all the schools, including public schools,” he said.

“We are going to test structural integrity to ensure that human beings can inhabit buildings there.

“We are going to set up a very high-powered committee to investigate this incident.

“We are going to bring in building professionals to investigate this, and anyone found culpable will certainly face the wrath of the law.

“We cannot afford this situation any longer; that is why we signed Executive Order 003. The goal is to be able to bring order and sanity into the building sector.”

Daramola Akindele, the principal of the school, while responding to the governor’s inquiries, said the building did not show any signs before the collapse. “I inspect the school compound daily.

The owner of the school is late, but it is being managed by her husband, Mr Marius Onigwe, who is indisposed now,” Akindele said.

“Being the administrative head of the school, I carry out a general inspection of the compound everyday.

“It was actually built before I came. But I didn’t imagine that something like this could happen. There was no sign whatsoever.”