Windstorm: ATBU Seeks FG’s Intervention on Destroyed Structures

Segun Awofadeji

The Vice-Chancellor of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University (ATBU), Bauchi, Professor Saminu Ibrahim has appealed to the federal government to come to its aid in rebuilding and renovating some of the structures destroyed by windstorm. The windstorm cost the state many lives and hundreds of houses, schools and property worth several millions of naira in several parts of the state.

The government had confirmed eight people killed during the windstorm, while over 120 people sustained injury and over 1,500 homes were destroyed, as well as over 349 schools including ATBU, churches and mosques and 3,000 electricity poles destroyed in Bauchi metropolis during the incident

Briefing journalists, the vicechancellor said, “the structures need to be fixed so that the purpose for which the university was set will be achieved. Therefore, we are appealing to the federal government to come and take stock of the damages and come up with relief measures. “Specifically the central library of the university which was seriously damaged needs urgent attention of government, we all know the importance of library in the university, it stores all the information and research work conducted. “We cannot do it from our lean resources that is why we are seeking government’s intervention. The wind storm affected badly the building and structures of two campuses of Yelwa and Gubi.”

He said 26 of the structures on the campuses were severely damaged by the storm, disrupting the ongoing second semester examinations which is about to end.