…three others receiving treatment
By; Mohammed Kawu, Bauchi
Resulting from a heavy downpour and windstorm on Saturday night, five participants of the month’s long 10th Northeast zonal trade fair in Bauchi loss their lives at the IBB Square, venue of the event when it was almost coming to an end.
The incident which occurred at about 9:00pm followed collapsed of the trade fair building on the people as a result of windstorm leaving two dead instantly while three others have up the ghosts no sooner have they reached the hospital with another three receiving treatment at the time of this report.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the State Command, SP Ahmed Mohammed Wakil who confirmed the incident, said that the IBB Square hosting the fair was significantly affected, as the storm caused damage to the Gombe and Yobe states pavilions, and several business tents within the trade fair complex.
He explained that as a result of the incident, emergency response teams led by the police and other security agencies swiftly initiated search and rescue operations where five persons were found under fallen structures with two already dead while three were evacuated to the hospital.
SP Ahmed Wakil gave names of four of the five of those who died as Abdullahi Abubakar 38 years of Yakubu Wanka Quarters; Sadiq Ahmed Alfa 32 years of Fadaman Mada; Malam Musa from Maliya Ventures of Tudun Salmanu quarters; and Abdullahi Abdurrahman from Gombe state.
According to him, authorities in Bauchi have taken necessary steps including depositing the deceased bodies at mortuary to address the aftermath of the storm, as efforts are underway to assess the extent of property damage caused by the storm.
To ensure public safety, a police presence is being maintained at the IBB Square to prevent criminal activities in the wake of the unfortunate incident.
Also confirming the incident the public relations officer of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) Bauchi, Usman Abdullahi Koli said that they received six victims which three of them dies at the arrival to the trauma center of the hospital, while three were receiving treatment currently
“It is true we received certain number of casualties from the scene of the incident unfortunately 2 were brought in dead who died on the spot of incident, three of the deceased had severe injuries from the head to the abdomen, while the three receiving treatment have multiple fractures but are positively responding to treatment.
Some of the eyewitness who occupying some of the attachment shops there at the trade fair lamented on the buildings and structures destroyed by the windstorm, saying they were of substandard materials used by the contractors, while others says it is an act of God that leads to the death of the victims.
The state commissioner of commerce and Industry Mahmood Baba Ma’aji who is one of those in charge of the trade fair, has in a response confirmed the destruction caused by heavy rainfall and windstorm around eight 8:30 to 9:pm on Saturday night,
“This incident occurred around 8 o’clock yesterday it was due to heavy downpour and strong windstorm that occured, and the state government is not happy with what had happened and that is the work of God, but is not something that you put the blame on contractor or any individual”, Baba Ma’aji said.
“Certainly the trade fair has closed about a week or so now, and people are still doing some little businesses there is not is not those that participated fully, they occupied those places involved in this tragedy , the people should now leave the place the government has earlier asked them to leave”, he said.
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