BREAKING: ATBU confirms death of four students in bridge disaster, closes down schools 

Following the collapse of a bridge in the Gubi Permanent Campus of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, (ATBU), Bauchi State, the Management of the University has confirmed that four of its students lost their lives in the disaster that occurred on Monday night due to torrential rainfall.

The confirmation of the casualty figure was made by the Vice-Chancellor, Muhammad Abdullazeez while addressing journalists at a press conference on Tuesday in Bauchi, saying that four students have been confirmed killed while seven others were injured at various degrees.

The VC further said that the full details of the incident were still being awaited as of the time of the briefing, stating that the Management has closed down the school in honour of the deceased.

Muhammad Abdullazeez said: “I regret to announce the death of four of our students on August 5th, 2019. 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 6th, 2019) 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 19th, 2019. Three males and one female died.”

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Speaking on the cause of the incident, the Vice-Chancellor, who was accompanied to the press conference by top Management staff said that: “For now, we learnt that while the students were trying to return to their hostels in the midst of the rain last night, the connecting bridge between their reading area and their hostels collapsed and the four students drowned in the flood.”

Muhammad Abdullazeez who was moved to tears while speaking to the Press said that the injured students are currently receiving treatment at the University Medical Centre as well as the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH).

He, then, said that rescue operations were currently ongoing to recover bodies of those students that have been declared missing and washed away by the flood.

It will be recalled that many students of  ATBU, Bauchi, were reportedly killed following the collapse of a metallic bridge linking the University with the hostels on Monday night at about 11.45 pm as a result of a heavy downpour in the state which lasted for several hours.