CDHR Expresses Worries
OpenLife Nigeria reports that the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, CDHR, has expressed worries over the preventable incident of building collapse at Saint Academy School, Jos which occurred at the early hours of Friday, July 12, 2024 and reportedly claimed 22 lives, mostly pupils from the school as well as over 120 people trapped.
In a statement made available to OpenLife and jointly signed by Comrade Debo Adeniran, National President CDHR Nigeria and Comrade Idris Afees Olayinka, National Publicity Secretary CDHR Nigeria, the group described the incident as “A black Friday.”
CDHR stated that the Executive Secretary of Plateau State Emergency Management Agency, Sunday Abdu, disclosed that 17 persons were confirmed dead after a rescue operation at the school located at the Busa Buji community in Jos North Local Government Area of the state.
CDHR further stated that Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms gave fresh update on the sad incident in a statement he issued on Friday night where he confirmed that the death had risen to 22 while 154 persons suffered different degrees of fatalities
According to the commissioner, “the state government expresses its deepest condolences following the tragic incident.
“The collapse resulted in 154 fatalities and injuries.”
The Commissioner announced that emergency responders had moved into the scene conducting search and rescue operations.
CDHR, however, blamed the unfortunate incident on the negligence by the state government, and the school management for brutally violating the right to lives of the dead students, the educational progress of the injured and putting the remaining students under perpetual fear that their lives might not be safe under the supervision of the state agencies and officials.
The organisation demands immediate and adequate compensation for the families of the deceased by the state government while taking up the medical bills of other victims who sustained various degrees of injuries.
The government should put necessary measures in place to checkmate future occurrences and build confidence among the residents and students inhabiting similar structures.