A disaster was narrowly averted on Wednesday in Taraba State as final-year students and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members escaped death when classrooms collapsed during the ongoing West African Examinations Council (WAEC) exams.
The incident occurred at Government Secondary School, Namne, located in Gassol Local Government Area.
The collapse followed a severe thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds and torrential rainfall, which hit the area around 6 p.m., just after the second batch of students had begun their examination.
Eyewitnesses reported scenes of chaos as the roof and walls of the classroom building gave way, trapping students, teachers, and exam supervisors beneath the rubble.
Many sustained injuries, with some students reportedly suffering broken limbs. Locals rushed to the scene and worked for hours to rescue those trapped.
A resident of Namne, Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, who spoke to The Guardian by telephone, confirmed that the first group of students had already completed their papers and vacated the classrooms before the incident.
“It was the second set that got caught when the rain started. The classrooms collapsed just minutes after the exam began,” he said.
Lauris also revealed that the injured victims were taken to a nearby primary healthcare center for urgent treatment.
He added that the powerful windstorm also destroyed several homes in the community, compounding the damage caused by the collapse.
Meanwhile, similar weather disruptions were reported in Jalingo, the Taraba State capital.
Prolonged rainfall and severe flooding left many students stranded, with some reportedly unable to return home until after 1 a.m. due to poor visibility and impassable roads.
