Dozens of Students, Teachers Narrowly Escape Death as Classrooms Collapse During WASSCE

 

A routine West African Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) turned into a terrifying ordeal yesterday, Wednesday, May 28, 2025, at Government Secondary School, Namne, in the Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State. Dozens of students, teachers, and Corps members found themselves staring death in the face when their classrooms suddenly collapsed around them.

The dramatic incident occurred at approximately 6:00 PM, when a heavy rainfall, accompanied by a powerful windstorm, battered the school premises. Without warning, the structures caved in, trapping the students and their invigilators amidst the rubble.

For hours, fear gripped the trapped individuals as they awaited rescue. Fortunately, quick-thinking and brave residents of the community mobilized, working tirelessly to pull the victims from the collapsed classrooms.

According to Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, a resident who spoke to Daily Trust, it was the second set of students taking their exams who were caught in the disaster, as the first set had already completed their papers and left the school. This timing, though tragic, likely prevented an even larger catastrophe.

The injured students, teachers, and corps members were promptly moved to the nearby Primary Healthcare Centre, located just a few meters from the school, where they are now receiving treatment for their injuries.

Beyond the school building, the severe windstorm wreaked havoc across the town, with Alhaji DanAzumi confirming that many other houses in Namne were also destroyed.

This harrowing event underscores the vulnerability of infrastructure to extreme weather conditions and highlights the incredible courage of community members who rushed to aid those in distress. While the damage is extensive, the prevailing sentiment is one of profound relief that despite the terrifying circumstances, all those trapped "escaped death by whiskers."

Our thoughts are with the injured and the entire Namne community as they begin to recover from this devastating natural disaster.