By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
No fewer than 7 persons have been killed and 2 others injured following the collapse of a building housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Monguno town of Monguno LGA of Borno State.
The building which is classroom in a school accommodating the IDPs collapsed at the camp on Tuesday, according to AFP reports.
It was stated that a classroom sheltering scores of IDPs in the garrison town of Monguno collapsed around 1930 GMT on Monday following torrential rains the previous day, the sources said.
“Seven people were killed in (the) incident and two others were injured and presently in hospital,” anti-jihadist militia leader, Musa Kaka said.
“Although,, some IDPs live in makeshift camps under military protection while others live in the classrooms where the accident occurred which is a secondary school that was turned into IDPs camp with about 5,000 IDPs living in classrooms”, Kaka said.
However, the affected classroom had been weakened from a previous fire outbreak and the hours-long downpour on Sunday caused the collapse, said Bello Adamu, another source, who gave the same toll.
“The seven fatalities were buried on Tuesday, according to a resident Ahmad Babangida, who attended the ceremony.
“My friend’s son was among the seven dead and his wife is in hospital with a fractured leg,” Babangida said.
It will be recalled that building collapses are common in Nigeria, Africa’s most populous country, because of sub-standard materials, negligence and poor enforcement of construction regulations.
Monguno, which is located 135 kms (85 miles) from the regional capital Maiduguri, is home to thousands of IDPs, who fled their towns and villages to escape the Jihadists insurgency, which have also killed 40,000 people while about two million people have been displaced since the rebellion began in 2009.
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