Nigeria: Two Fathers narrate how they lost two of their children in Jos school building collapse

Fathers of two of the victims of the Jos school building collapse which happened over the weekend have spoken out about losing their children. Rabiu Hussaini Dogon-Driver whose 6year old daughter, Hajara, (left) was killed in the incident, said his little girl had actually brought him water to drink that Sundayafternoon before she proceeded to join her other siblings at the Islamic school where they took their Quaranic lessons. 

“Hajara brought me water to drink around 4pm and after that I told her to join her four siblings to go to the Islamiyya, but it was my last moment with her.” he told Dailytrust

Rabiu said he had gone to see a friend when he got information that the building where his children were being taught had collapsed.

“I rushed there and found many people trying to rescue children from the rubble but I could not find my kids, later I found the oldest and a few minutes later the other one was also found unhurt. By evening, all my children except Hajara were safe and I knew in my heart that she was no more, I knew she was dead”, he added.

He said although Hajara was the first to be removed from the rubble, it was not until 8pm that her couple was recovered as they did not know where it was deposited

“My relatives had gone round hospitals in Jos city but could not find her until we went into a nearby clinic and on sighting her toes, because she was covered in dust, one of our relatives identified her and she was buried on yesterday (Monday),” he said

Another man, Muhammadu Danyaya also recounted how he lost his 8 year old son, Musa, in the incident. He said three of his sons were in the school when the building collapsed.

“They were not supposed to go to school that day because they had been chased away for school fees but that morning, the principal saw me and asked me to send them to school and I did. I heard a loud sound and saw the dust but I didn’t know it was at the school until I saw people running towards the area. Thank God I got there in time to rescue my two other sons but I was too late for the other one because he was buried in the rubble for about two and half hours.  I found my oldest son in the rubble, his legs were trapped. We were able to use a shovel to rescue him. My youngest was still on another part of the first floor of the building and as that part was crumbling, he jumped and I was able to grab him,” he said