A secondary school building collapsed in Plateau State on Friday morning, killing over 16 people and injuring dozens more.
Students trapped under the rubble of Saint Academy in Jos North district were heard crying for help.
Rescue efforts involved mechanical diggers while desperate parents searched for their children.
Officials have only confirmed “several students” dead, but an AFP reporter saw five bodies in one hospital morgue and 11 in another, all wearing school uniforms.
Wulliya Ibrahim, an injured student, recounted, “I entered the class not more than five minutes, when I heard a sound, and the next thing is I found myself here. We are many in the class, we are writing our exams.”
The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported that the two-story building collapsed, killing “several students,” without providing specific numbers.
“NEMA and other critical stakeholders are presently carrying out Search and Rescue operations,” it said.
A resident, Chika Obioha, said he saw at least eight bodies at the site and many more injured.
“Everyone is helping to rescue more people,” he added.
An AFP correspondent saw 11 bodies at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital morgue and five at the Our Lady of Apostles Hospital morgue in Jos.
At least 15 injured students were admitted to Our Lady of Apostles Hospital.
Officials at Bingham University Teaching Hospital did not comment.
The cause of the collapse is unclear, but residents blamed heavy rains in Plateau over the past three days.
Building collapses are common in Nigeria due to poor enforcement of building standards, negligence, and low-quality materials.
KanyiDaily recalls that many people were recently trapped following the collapse of a building under construction near the Ochanja market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
