Flood kills 4 students in ATBU, school shut

Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU) Bauchi, has been shut down following the death of four students in a flood disaster that hit the institution.

The Vice Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Muhammed Abdulaziz announced the closure of the school on Tuesday in Bauchi while addressing newsman over the incident.

The incident occurred Monday night at Gubi Campus of the university in which seven students were also injured and several others still unaccounted for.

Abdulaziz explained that the closure was to honour the victims, adding that the university would reopen on Aug. 19.

The vice chancellor said that the flood was as a result of several hours of heavy downpour which led to the collapse of the bridge linking the students’ hostels.

“The students were trying to return to their hostels in the midst of the rain last night when the connecting bridge between their reading area and their hostels collapsed and the students drowned.

“While the full details of the occurrence are being awaited, others who were injured in the incident are currently receiving treatment in the university medical center, ” he said

The vice chancellor said that the missing ones were yet to be ascertained, but added that some students Identification Cards were recovered within the campus.

He said that fire fighters and other security operatives have been drafted to the campus on search and rescue operation.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) gathered that several students were crossing the temporary bridge when it collapsed.