Rescue operations continue at the site of the collapsed building at Saints Academy in Jos, Nigeria, where 22 people died and 132 were injured.

By Abdul Kareem

JOS, Nigeria (ThT) — The Plateau State Government has confirmed 22 deaths and 132 injuries following the collapse of a school building in Jos, the state capital.

Six of the injured are in critical condition, according to Mr. Musa Ashoms, the commissioner for Information. “Those injured are receiving treatment in various tertiary health facilities in the state, while the bodies of the deceased have been deposited in the mortuaries,” Ashoms said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the two-story building of Saints Academy, a secondary and primary school in the Busa-Buji community of Jos North Local Area, collapsed at around 8:30 a.m. on Friday. Students were writing their third-term examinations when the incident occurred.

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau described the incident as a tragic and monumental loss for the state. “This is tragic, unfortunate, heart-wrenching, and a gloomy situation,” Mutfwang said in a statement issued by Mr. Gyang Bere, his Director of Press and Public Affairs.

The governor expressed his sympathy to the families of the victims and praised the swift response of the search and rescue teams and members of the public who assisted in evacuating survivors. “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,” he said.

Mutfwang has directed 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,” he added.

The governor also highlighted the significance of Executive Order 003, recently signed into law, aimed at preventing such disasters. “The rationale for 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,” Mutfwang said.