A tragic incident struck the Government Secondary School in Namnai, Gassol Local Government Area of Taraba State, as an examination hall collapsed during the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), trapping numerous candidates and exam officials.

According to DAILY NIGERIAN, the building gave way on Wednesday evening following a powerful rainstorm accompanied by heavy winds. Eyewitnesses said the disaster occurred around 6 p.m., just as the second batch of students had begun their exams.

Local residents acted swiftly, rescuing trapped students, teachers, corps members, and external supervisors from the rubble.

“Several students, both male and female, sustained varying degrees of injuries, with some reportedly suffering limb fractures,” a resident reported. The injured are currently being treated at a nearby Primary Healthcare Centre.

DanAzumi Lauris, another local resident, confirmed to The Punch that the first set of students had already completed their exam and left the premises before the structure collapsed.

“The rain came suddenly with strong winds, and the old classroom structures couldn’t withstand it,” he said.

The storm didn’t just damage the school; several homes in the Namnai community were also destroyed by the violent weather.

The incident raises fresh concerns over the safety of educational infrastructure in rural areas and the vulnerability of students sitting for national examinations under inadequate conditions.