The Management of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi State has announced the closing down of the school till further notice while confirming that four of its students were killed, following the collapse of a bridge in the Gubi campus.
The metal pedestrian bridge that linked one of the hostels and another building containing lecture rooms had collapsed last night due to a heavy downpour.
The Vice Chancellor, Muhammad Abdullazeez, who spoke to journalists at a press conference on Tuesday, August 6th in Bauchi State said that four students have been killed while seven students were injured.
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He said that the school was being closed down in honor of the deceased, adding that 3 males and 1 female were the casualties.
He disclosed that the survivors were receiving medical care while efforts were ongoing to recover the bodies of the deceased.
Abdullazeez said,
“I regret to announce the death of four of our students on August 5th, 2019. The unfortunate incident that led to the demise of the students occurred late last night (Monday), at the Gubi Campus of the University.
“While full details of the occurrence are being awaited, the University Senate, at an emergency meeting this morning, (August 6th, 2019) has decided to close the University in honour of the students. We closed down the school because we are mourning. The reopening date has been fixed for Tuesday, August 19th, 2019.
For now, we learnt that while the students were trying to return to their hostel in the midst of the rain last night, the connecting bridge between their reading area and their hostel collapsed and the four students drowned.”
Meanwhile one of the victims has been identified as Salamat, a 200 level student studying Chemistry Education.
Salmat’s sister had gone on twitter in search of her sister and had eventually returned to say that she’d been amongst those on the bridge.
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