News
Plateau school collapse: Grieving mother recounts late son’s memories
By Francesca Hangeior.
A bereaved mother identified as Blessing Onovo recalls the fond memories of her late 15-year-old son, Chidera, who died after his school building collapsed last Friday, July 12, 2024, in Jos, Plateau State.
Chidera attended Saint Academy located in the Busa Buji community, Jos North Local Government Area of the state, with his younger sister, Chisom.
In an interview with the BBC, as reported on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, the grieving mother recalled how her son, Chidera was caring for her and his siblings.
She said, “He saved up his lunch money to buy biscuits to share with his siblings and he was always the one who noticed my moods and would ask, ‘Mummy are you fine?’”
Chidera had found a passion in drawing, but unfortunately, the young boy who left home for school early Friday with his younger sister never returned.
His father, Chike, was “relieved” after Chidera’s sister was pulled out from under the rubble but at the same time, he wondered the whereabouts of his first child.
“I saw my daughter Chisom being dragged out. I was relieved, but I kept shouting ‘Where is Chidera, my son?’
“It took about an hour before an excavator came,” Chike lamented.
The boy’s body was later found in his classroom on the first floor, the BBC reports.
The school’s two-storey building collapsed at about 8:30 am, claiming 22 persons while about 154 were trapped under the rubble before they were evacuated to various hospitals.
The unfortunate incident happened while students and teachers were in their respective classes.
According to the investigative panel set up by the Federal Government, the physical observation of the building looked distressed as weak materials were used for the building.
Another parent, Victor Dennis, 43, lost his son, Emmanuel, to the incident. The boy’s lifeless body was found at a local morgue the next day, Saturday, July 13.
“My boy was a good boy. He didn’t deserve to die. They killed my son. He didn’t do anything wrong. He just went to school to learn,” Dennis stated.
The report noted that while Emmanuel was being buried, his mother remained “inconsolable” as she grieved her son’s death at home, adding that several people were involved in the rescue operation, and some others voluntarily donated blood across hospitals where the survivors were admitted.
In an interview by one of our correspondents, some of the survivors, while on their hospital beds, recounted that the building suddenly collapsed while they were having classes, stating that the loud noise that accompanied the collapse felt like the world had come to an end.
An SS1 student noted that a teacher shunned an observation raised by one of the students, saying, “I am an SS1 student. Our teacher was teaching us in the class, and he was writing on the board when the building suddenly collapsed on our heads. The noise was so loud, and it was as if the world was about to end. Everywhere was dark, and I did not know where I was as the debris covered me. I found it hard to breathe at all because the decking just covered me.
“Before the building collapsed, I heard one of the students telling a teacher that the building was shaking but he asked the student to shut up and enter the class. Shortly after sitting down, the building caved in.”
Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, had ordered the closure of the collapsed school and the arrest of artisanal miners operating around residential areas in the state.
The state government also declared a three-day mourning period following the sad incident.
Also, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa called for an immediate investigation into the building collapse, noting that anyone found culpable must be brought to justice.
Bandits have killed a monarch,his wife, his son, and three other residents in a deadly night attack on Olegabulu community in Agatu Local Government Area of Benue State.
Residents said the attack happened on Thursday night when the armed men, numbering about four and arriving on two motorcycles, stormed the palace of the monarch and opened fire on him and his family members.
According to a resident who requested anonymity, the attackers entered the community without raising suspicion, reportedly exchanging greetings with locals in the native dialect before heading straight to the royal residence. Once inside, they opened fire, killing the traditional ruler, his wife, and his son on the spot.
The attackers were said to have spent about 20 minutes in the community. After the assault on the palace, they reportedly moved to a nearby compound where they killed two additional residents and left another person injured before fleeing the scene.
Eyewitnesses described the incident as coordinated and deceptive, noting that the gunmen initially blended in with residents before launching the attack.
The Chairman of Agatu Local Government Area, Melvin Ejeh, confirmed the incident, stating that five people were killed and one person sustained injuries.
He added that security operatives, including police personnel, have since visited the scene.
Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer in Benue State, DSP Udeme Edet, said she was yet to receive full details of the attack at the time of filing this report.
Proceedings in the case involving former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, were on Thursday adjourned till May 6, 2026, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
At the resumed hearing, counsel to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Kemi Pinheiro, SAN, represented the prosecution, while Bello was represented by his lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu.
During proceedings, the prosecution informed the court of the need for more time to respond to applications filed by the defence, while Bello’s legal team urged the court to consider their submissions and move the matter forward.
Justice Nwite, in his ruling, adjourned the case to May 6 to allow all parties to adequately prepare and ensure a fair hearing.
Mr Bello is currently facing charges bordering on alleged financial misappropriation during his tenure as governor, allegations he has repeatedly denied.
Nigeria is set to experience one of the highest increases in food insecurity worldwide in 2026, according to the latest Global Report on Food Crises released on April 24, 2026.
The report, compiled by agencies including the Food and Agriculture Organization and World Food Programme, raised fresh concerns over worsening hunger levels driven by insecurity, economic hardship and declining humanitarian funding.
According to FAO findings, about 4.1 million additional Nigerians could fall into acute food insecurity in 2026, placing the country among those with the largest increases globally.
Reacting to the development, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, Mr Alvaro Lario, said “the crisis is becoming more prolonged and difficult to contain”.
“We are no longer seeing just temporary shocks, but persistent shocks over time,” warning that the situation is placing growing pressure on global stability.
FAO noted that about 266 million people across 47 countries face high levels of acute hunger in 2025, with conditions expected to remain severe into 2026.
In Nigeria, the situation is being worsened by continued insecurity in key farming regions, rising inflation and limited access to food.
According FAO projections, over 34 million Nigerians may experience crisis level hunger between June and August 2026, during the peak of the lean season.
The FAO Country Representative in Nigeria, Mr Hussein Gadain, said the combined impact of armed conflict, climate shocks, high food prices and cuts in global aid funding is pushing more Nigerians into hunger.
The report called for urgent and sustained intervention, warning that without immediate action, millions more could slide into emergency levels of food insecurity in the coming months.
BREAKING: Benue boils again as bandits invade palace, kill monarch ,wife, son three others
Yahaya Bello to know fate on May 6 as Court adjourns financial infractions case
Nigeria set to record largest surge in food insecurity globally in 2026-Reports
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