What was supposed to be a routine exam day turned into a scene of chaos and terror at Government Secondary School, Namnai, in Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, after the sudden collapse of a classroom during a West African Examinations Council (WAEC) paper.
Ahmed Bello, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member deployed to the school, was supervising the exam when disaster struck. Speaking to Arewa PUNCH, Bello recounted the horrifying moment the classroom caved in.
“I heard a loud crack, and the roof just flew off. The walls started collapsing. There were screams everywhere—some crying, others calling for help, and some completely silent. I truly thought I wouldn’t make it,” he said, his voice trembling.
Bello managed to rescue three students trapped under the rubble, their bodies pinned beneath broken desks and fallen timber. “There was blood everywhere. One of the girls wasn’t moving—I feared the worst.”
That student was 17-year-old Fatima Jatau, a science student with dreams of becoming a nurse. She was found with a severe leg injury caused by a sheet of rusted roofing material. Her father, Mr. Habila Jatau, rushed to the scene after hearing the news.
“I ran like a madman,” he told Arewa PUNCH, tears welling in his eyes. “She was bleeding and shaking, begging, ‘Daddy, don’t let me die.’ I’ll never forget that moment.”
Fatima is currently being treated at the town’s only Primary Healthcare Centre, which staff say is overwhelmed and operating with minimal supplies and no electricity. Inside the clinic, another injured student sat quietly, her arm in a makeshift sling. Her brother, visibly furious, described the collapse not as a tragedy, but a crime.
“They knew that building was dangerous. We’ve warned them. How many lives need to be lost before action is taken? This wasn’t an accident—it was pure neglect.”
Another parent, speaking anonymously, added bitterly, “Do they need coffins lined up before fixing our schools? Our children are not disposable.”
Local residents and education stakeholders alike have blamed both the school administration and the government for failing to address the deteriorating structure, despite repeated warnings.
Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, an elder in Gassol, confirmed the community had long raised concerns. “That classroom had been falling apart for years. The government sent inspectors once, but nothing followed. Now, the silence has cost us dearly.”
During a visit to Namnai, Arewa PUNCH observed widespread destruction caused by the storm which includes homes flattened, trees uprooted, and livestock scattered but the school bore the brunt of the damage.
In Jalingo, the state capital, Wednesday’s heavy rainfall also disrupted WAEC exams. Some students were trapped in exam centres until as late as 1 a.m., while others sat their exams under flashlights amid leaking roofs and flooded classrooms.
On Thursday, Taraba State Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Augustina Godwin, visited the scene. She commended the swift response from local residents and pledged immediate government assistance.
“This is heartbreaking,” she said. “We will ensure the injured students receive proper care. An urgent infrastructure review of all public schools across the state is already underway.”
But for many residents, such promises ring hollow.
“We’ve heard it all before,” said teacher Jubril Mathias, who lives in the community. “They come with sympathy after the disaster, not with solutions before it.”
Fatima’s father echoed the sentiment, glancing at his daughter’s bandaged leg. “They always show up after the storm. What we need is action before the next tragedy strikes.”
As Namnai begins to recover, the physical damage may be cleared, but the emotional trauma lingers. For students like Fatima, the sound of rain and wind may forever carry memories of fear and broken dreams.
Where an exam hall once symbolised hope, only ruins remain and with them, haunting questions still unanswered.
Advertisement
