How five died in North East Trade fair pavilion collapse

Five traders were killed and three others sustained various degrees of injuries at the IBB Square in Bauchi, the venue of the 15th Joint North East Trade Fair following a heavy downpour. 

The 15th Joint North East Trade Fair was organised by the North East Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture which is supported by the six states of the region.

Daily Trust on Saturday gathered that the heavy rain, accompanied by strong winds that started around 8pm penultimate Saturday night, wreaked havoc on the pavilions and killed some of those who were taking shelter against the heavy rain in the complex. Some of those injured, some with multiple fractures were evacuated to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH).

The Information Officer of ATBU Teaching Hospital, Usman Abdullahi Koli, told journalists that five people died and three others were still receiving medical attention, adding, “We received a certain number of casualties from the scene of the incident, unfortunately, two were brought in dead and three had severe injuries from the head to the abdomen and they died shortly after arrival. Currently, we have three patients with multiple fractures who are receiving treatment and are gradually improving.”

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On their part, Bauchi State Police Command through its spokesman, SP Ahmed Wakil, confirmed the incident saying, “On the evening of June 1st, 2024, Bauchi Metropolis experienced a severe rainstorm accompanied by strong winds. The IBB Square, which hosted the just concluded North East Trade Fair, was significantly affected.”

Wakil said the storm caused damage to the Gombe and Yobe states’ pavilions and several business tents within the trade fair complex.

Following the incident, emergency response teams, led by the police and other security agencies swiftly initiated search and rescue operations.

Wakil explained further saying, “Tragically, five individuals were found under the fallen structures and were promptly taken to the hospital. Regrettably, four  individuals, including Abdullahi Abubakar 38 years, Yakubu Wanka, Ahmed Alfa, Malam Musa, and an unidentified person believed to be from Gombe, lost their lives in the incident.”

Wakil, however, said one individual, Fatima Isa, is currently receiving treatment and showing positive signs of recovery. The authorities have taken the necessary steps, including depositing the deceased individuals at the mortuary.

Additionally, 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 square to prevent criminal activities in the wake of this unfortunate event.

A trader of children’s toys from Kano State, Musa Abdulkarim Ibrahim, who witnessed the incident and took part in the rescue operation said, “We were inside the Adamawa Pavilion at night when we heard that a wall had fallen on some traders who were taking shelter at the Gombe pavilion.

“We rushed out for rescue and in the process, we brought out a man who was selling perfume from the debris. Already the broken structures had broken his head and he was already dead.”

Ibrahim said, “Still while searching in the debris, we found another casualty, who sustained three fractures on his leg, screaming for help. He died before reaching the hospital.

“The third victim was a trader who was selling rubber products and his makeshift shop was opposite the pavilions. We found him under the rubble and he had sustained a fracture in his back and leg. He was rushed to the hospital.”

Another victim, who sustained injuries on her leg was Elizabeth Chukwu Emeka, from Delta State who specialised in decorations. She said, “the rain started around 8pm and the windstorm followed around 8:25pm and at that time I was inside the Taraba State Pavilion and left the two doors open sitting on a chair and looking outside. The first dangerous wind did not last more than two minutes.”

Elizabeth further explained that, “As the rain started and the wind together after about 10 minutes I just heard a loud sound, and it was as if something like a tornado had hit the Yobe State Pavilion. And it was the Yobe pavilion that fell first before the Gombe pavilion was affected.”

“When the Yobe pavilion wall fell, I jumped out running for my life, trying to reach a safer area, but before you knew it, the next one also fell, and that’s what scared me, causing me to shout out at the people inside the Taraba pavilion to come out because the buildings were collapsing and people inside the pavilions started jumping out.

“In the process of running, I fell on the pavement of the road and I injured my ankle. As at the time of the incident, I was not aware of my injuries due to the confusion because I was among the people that evacuated the casualties from the debris before government and security agents arrived at the complex,” Elizabeth said.

She added that, “It was a man who narrowly escaped that first collapse who disclosed that someone died after the wall had fallen on him. I told him that it was not only one person I saw about three others who were buried by the wall.

Elizabeth further explained why some traders were still hanging around despite the closure of the trade fair, saying, “Yes, the trade fair was closed down on Thursday 30th June 2024. But as you can see, people are still selling their things because of the upcoming Sallah celebration and consumers are still coming to buy.

Another witness, Simon Ajikonbi, who specialized in decorations and participated in trade fairs said, “I am from Lagos to participate in the trade fair but the only thing that baffles me about what has happened in downpour disaster is the attitude of the president of the chambers of commerce and his cabinet, who refused to visit the victims of the unfortunate incident.

“We have not seen anybody from the government who had come to commiserate and sympathise with the victims of the incident, the remaining traders, and other participants at the trade fair complex.”

“Till I am talking to you now, nobody has considered it appropriate to visit us over the disaster which happened on Saturday, and today is Wednesday. The only person you see who cared about what happened is the director general because even on the night of the incident, he was around. Just 30 minutes ago he came and asked my wife who was injured how she was feeling. Why have the president of the chamber of commerce and other officials not come?” Ajikonbi asked.

Ajikonbi continued, “Before the commencement of the trade fair, the president travelled everywhere including Lagos, to canvases for this trade fair; he got the chance to come but now he has no time to come, and he wants us to come to the trade fair next time.

“I heard that they registered this place for international trade fair and want to invite people to come. If the number of people was more than what it was before the disaster, many more people would have died like fowls. It is sad because I have been to many trade fairs across the country but  the way and manner in which the traders have been treated is unfortunate.”

Ajikonbi added, “You can see how people are parking their things because they’re driving us like goats, saying go, go and even trying to lock the gate. Now what about those customers that paid deposits to the traders? We will soon leave Bauchi but this bitter experience is a lesson.”

Another trader at the trade fair, Talatu Sani, blamed the contractor who hurriedly constructed the pavilions less than one month before the commencement of the trade fair. “When you go and see the areas where the buildings collapsed, you will see the kind of block and other materials as well as the work done that resulted in the crumbling of the structures, especially the walls.”

Corroborating Talatu, a relative of one of the victims, who preferred not to be named, said the contractor and the government officials handling the preparations of the trade fair should be held responsible for the tragic incident because, “Whenever the governor visited the complex for inspection, they misguided him and give him wrong information.

“They succeeded in hiding relevant information from the governor, especially using substandard building materials.

“I don’t blame the state governor because he assigned them to ensure the right thing is done, but they betrayed the trust and did what they wanted. You can go and find out by checking the rubbles of the fallen structures and see for yourself what resulted in the disaster,” she added.

When contacted on phone, the Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Mahmoud Babamaji, however, said the unfortunate incident is not something that the contractor who builds the pavilions or any individual should be blamed for but rather an accident destined by God Almighty.

Babamaji said, “This incident happened at night around 8pm due to a heavy downpour and strong windstorm that occurred on Saturday. The government is not happy with what had happened because it has also affected  some parts of the metropolis.”

On the closure of the trade fair and the traders still hanging at the complex, the commissioner said, “Yes, sadly the trade fair has been closed about three days before the incident, but some traders are still doing their business there. It is not those who participated in the trade fair that were trapped in the unfortunate tragedy.”

“The people should now leave the place because the government has directed them to vacate the place so that the government will take a stand on it.

The government has put a lot of effort with the support of the State Emergency Management Agency and Fire Service which conducted the rescue operations as well as the evacuation of the casualties to hospital for medical attention,” Babamaji added.