Rain-triggered building collapse at Borno IDP camp claims seven lives
In a heart-wrenching incident, a building housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at a camp in Borno State has collapsed, leading to the loss of seven lives, with two others sustaining various degrees of injuries.
The victims were among those forced from their homes by terrorists in the strife-torn northeastern region of the country.
The catastrophic event unfolded at the Monguno camp on Monday at approximately 1930 GMT, following torrential rains the previous day.
Musa Kaka, an anti-jihadist militia leader, confirmed the tragic toll, stating, “Seven people lost their lives in this incident, and two others are presently hospitalized.”
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Monguno, situated 135 km (85 miles) from the regional capital of Maiduguri, is home to thousands of IDPs who fled their hometowns and villages to escape the relentless jihadist insurgency, which has claimed the lives of over 40,000 people.
These displaced individuals currently reside in makeshift camps under the protection of the military and local militias.
The unfortunate incident occurred within a secondary school-turned-IDP camp, where approximately 5,000 people inhabit classrooms.
According to Bello Adamu, another militiaman, the affected classroom had been weakened by a previous fire outbreak, and the prolonged downpour on Sunday ultimately led to its collapse.
On Tuesday, the seven individuals who lost their lives were laid to rest, as witnessed by Ahmad Babangida, a resident who shared his grief with journalists.
He recounted, “My friend’s son was one of the seven who perished, and his wife is now in the hospital with a fractured leg.”