Halima Ibrahim, a Senior Secondary (SS) 2 student of Government Girls Science and Technical College, Potiskum, died on Thursday, following the collapse of their school building during lessons.

Four other students of the school are currently receiving treatment in hospital as a result of the tragedy.

Dr Bukar Aji, Permanent Secretary, Yobe Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, confirmed the incident at a news conference on Thursday in Damaturu.

He said the incident occurred at about 1 pm on Thursday, when a block of two classrooms collapsed on the students during lessons.

“Actually, what happened was that a block, which contains two classrooms, came down to the corridors of the classroom.

“Unfortunately, five of our students were affected.

‘‘One of them gave up along the line, and four of them are in good condition, according to the medical doctor who was in the hospital,” Aji said.

The permanent secretary said that there were about 50 students altogether in both classes, with each class containing 25 students.

“They were in session and they are SS2 students.

“We visited them and actually, they were traumatised,” Aji said.

The permanent secretary said the ministry was waiting for an official report from the school so as to inform the state Ministry of Housing about the development.

“ The ministry is more competent to identify the root cause of the problem and identify measures to prevent future occurrence,” he said.

(NAN)

The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members serving in Jato Aka Turan community in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State are currently crying for an urgent security help as they said that herdsmen who launched fresh attacks in the community have killed no fewer than 20 people in two days.

According to the corps members who spoke with SaharaReporters on Wednesday, the herdsmen in an uninterrupted sustained attack between Sunday and Tuesday killed at least 20 and injured several others, throwing the community into chaos and tension.

The corps members lamented that Jato Aka Turan community, which is not far from a Nigerian Army base, is known for security vulnerability as they often watch in broad daylight how more than 20 motorcyles loaded with armed men and ammunition pass around the villages.

They said that the security situation in the community is so bad that their Local Government Inspector (LGI) hardly comes to the community except for the monthly clearance exercise, and that the LGI told them that if the attacks enveloped Jato Aka Turan community, they should move to neighbouring Adikpo community.

A corps member serving in another community in the state told SaharaReporters on Wednesday, “I have been able to speak with one of us at Jato Aka Turan, the affected area of Kwande Local Government Area.

“He said Jato is a far remote village from Adikpo, Kwande Local Government Area Secretariat main town.

“The LGI hardly goes there except for clearance. Likewise, the corps members there have their own activities and CDS there. They are about 21 serving corps members there in Jato Aka Turan, Kwande LGA.

“The corper who I spoke with, who is currently serving at Jato Aka Turan emphasised on challenges and said that they are not safe and they have reported to the LGI.

“According to him, the LGI said when the issue gets there, in their community, they should move to Adikpo.

“They also went to the nearby military checkpoint, a mini barrack and complained to them. The military men said anytime there is a problem, they (corpers) should contact them.

“Corps members in Jato Aka Turan often watch in broad daylight more than 20 bikes loaded with men and ammunition who head to the nearby communities to fight herdsmen.

“When they (vigilante) relent, herdsmen attack and kill the villagers. If nothing is done about the corps members, God forbid, I fear they might be affected.”

A Facebook user with name, Wase Richie Aondofa, who posted about the attacks on Facebook with some gory photos wrote,

“Pictorial evidence of series of attacks in different communities in my village yesterday, at Jato Aka Turan, Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State by the Fulani herdsmen.

“Several lives were lost and properties worth millions destroyed. We are calling on all the relevant agencies responsible for this to please come for our rescue.

“We are dying! My village, Jato Aka Turan, Kwande Local Government Area, is no longer safe. God may your will be done.”

SaharaReporters also got a screenshot of a WhatsApp status of one the corps members which read, “Fulani X men (Fulani herdsmen) killed not less than 20 people between Sunday and yesterday (Tuesday) in a village very close to my PPA centre (Place of Primary Assignment) and NYSC staff told us in camp ‘No insecurity in Benue’.

“This fight started in 2014, meaning NYSC staff are aware of this fight. Today, helicopter fly over the school where I teach (PPA).

“The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) went to the village to shell the area. The students started running when they heard the sound of the bomb. We sent them back to the class.”

However, when SaharaReporters called the Benue State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Anene Sewuese Catherine, for reaction and comment on the police action on the incident, she rejected the calls.

Anene however sent a text message to our reporter saying, “Can’t talk now. What’s going on?”

However, till the time of filing this report, the police spokesperson has not responded to a text message.

Credit: SaharaReporters

The Nigerian Army has established a General Court Martial (GCM) for the trial of five officers and 20 soldiers for offences ranging from murder, defilement, manslaughter, extortion and assault on civilians in Enugu State.

The personnel to be tried are within the jurisdiction of the 82 Division of the Nigerian Army in Enugu.

While inaugurating the court martial on Tuesday in Enugu, President of the GCM, Brig.-Gen. Buhari Sadisu, said that the court was convened by the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 82 Division, Maj.-Gen. Oluyemi Olatoye.

Sadisu explained that court martial was one of the instruments used in the Armed Forces to maintain discipline.

He said, “In Court Martial, military personnel alleged to have committed offences known to laws applicable to them are tried and if found guilty, punished in accordance to the laws criminalising such offences.

“However, where the prosecution failed to establish the allegations against them, the court will discharge and acquit the accused personnel.

He promised that the court martial would be guided by the principles of natural justice and fair hearing.

“It will also be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and other extant laws and procedures related to the trial.”

The president said that the Court Martial would be free from any external influence and would afford the accused personnel adequate time and facility to defend themselves.

According to him, the court martial is fully aware of the cardinal principle of our criminal judicial system that an accused person is presumed innocent until the contrary is proven.

“Under our criminal justice system, it is better for 99 guilty persons to be set free than for one innocent person to be convicted.

Sadisu assured them that the Court Martial would strive to do justice in their cases by ensuring that evidence presented before the court were judiciously and fairly evaluated.

“This is to avoid a situation where an innocent person is made to suffer unjustly,” he said.

Some regular court lawyers within Enugu also appeared for some of the accused personnel.

(NAN)