Angry students yesterday protested at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi following the death of four of their colleagues when a bridge within the campus collapsed Monday night. Consequently, the management of the university announced the closure of the varsity, saying it was in honour of the students who died as a result of a heavy downpour.
Four students – three females and one male -were killed while many others injured on Monday night after a pedestrian bridge collapsed at the Gubi campus. It was gathered that the deceased students were returning to the hostel when the bridge connecting one of the hostels to another building containing lecture rooms collapsed.
They were returning from a night class to their hostels after the heavy downpour. According to reports, there were 20 students on the bridge when the tragedy occurred. Eight of them who got caught in the frenzy were said to have sustained injuries while others are missing. Following the tragedy, some irate students had taken to the school premises yesterday to protest the death of their colleagues.
They also faulted the bridge collapse on negligence by the school authorities. A female student said: “All calls put across to the management asking them to come for help were not responded to.
“Four of our students died – three females and a male. Some are in the hospital and there are still some that have not been accounted for.”
In reaction to the incident, the school authorities announced the shut down of the varsity till August 19. The Vice-Chancellor of ATBU Muhammad Abdullazeez, explained yesterday that the closure was in honour of the students who died as a result of the flood. He said: “I regret to announce the death of four of our students on August 5. The unfortunate incident that led to the demise of the students occurred late last night (Monday), at the Gubi Campus of the University.
“While full details of the occurrence are being awaited, the University Senate, at an emergency meeting this morning, (August 6) has decided to close the University in honour of the students. We closed down the school because we are mourning. The reopening date has been fixed for Tuesday, August 19.”
