Sultan Rabiu
Several students, teachers, and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members narrowly escaped death on Wednesday when an examination hall collapsed in Taraba State.
The incident happened around 6:00 p.m. while students were writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). A heavy rainstorm, with strong winds, caused the hall to fall, trapping many people inside.
Local residents rushed to the scene and helped rescue the victims from the rubble. Some of the injured students, teachers, and corps members were taken to a nearby primary healthcare centre for treatment.
In Jalingo, the state capital, the heavy rain also affected other exam centres. Some students had to remain at their centres until midnight as the weather made it unsafe to leave.
There were also reports of delays in the arrival of examination papers, forcing some centres to start their papers as late as 8:00 p.m.
