Two Fathers narrated 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 Sunday afternoon 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