by 
The University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria, is once more in a very deplorable state, there was a fire incident that took place on Saturday 8th October, 2016, at exactly 6pm just some few minutes after the final exams for that day. There are still no reports confirming the source of the fire, but imaginations are running wild in terms of what people think stated the terrific incident. Some people who claimed to be one of the few first witnesses on the scene, say that the fire started at the sociology department, note that the building in discussion is the Faculty Of Social Sciences and over five different department offices and the main library are on the first floor of the the three storey building which was totally gutted by the fire. The ground floor was left unscathed but the first and second were affected and the third floor, which is mainly a lecture area was scarred with thick smoke.
Thankfully, no lives were lost. We refuse to published the news due to insufficient reports, but after a first hand view of the premises, we were able to gathered some information, and as of now the exams has been postponed until further information which will be announced today.
See more pics and details below
READ THIS ACCOUNT OF THE EVENT
The University of Jos, yesterday evening at about 7:00 pm recorded another bad
incident as the biggest and tallest building in its permanent site was ablaze.
The fire, which spread very slowly and steadily affected the departments of
Sociology, psychology, political science, and the library. Virtually all the offices
on the first and second floor were affected. I was there, but as a spectator as
my little effort would have yielded just little or no result. Who or what is
responsible for this unfortunate incident?
There are different views to this question.
The first view has it that the incident must have occurred as a result of some
electrical faults.
The second view holds that some students who have issues with their
academics and have little or no hope of graduating soon are responsible.
The third view has it that it could be the handy work of the antagonists of the
new Vice Chancellor, who attacked his house some months ago killing one of
his security aids and are committed to disrupting his tenure .
Some people even linked it to the activity of some unserious students who are
not ready for the ongoing exams. These views sound meaningful and logical,
but not scientific as they are for now not accompanied with facts and
evidences. However, they may serve as guides for intelligence gathering and
further investigations. What was the response of the authority ?
I arrived the scene after the library, sociology Department, and some parts of
political science was already burning. The fire service, who also arrived the
scene lately could do little or nothing as they brought only a tanker of water
which meant nothing to the slowly and yet steadily consuming fire that was
already spreading all over the first floor. The The fire service also had difficulty
in gaining access to the building as the building is surrounded with wires and
the ground full of gully drainages.
The students (great Jossites) must be commended for their adroitness by
getting water from the near by Wells and taps to complement the effort of the
fire service. However, it is regrettable that some opportunists utilized that
avenue to bugle some offices and carted away with some items.
The security man on duty said the fire would have been prevented from
spreading further if the fire extinguishers that were available in the building were
working. He went further to say that he tried all that he could but the fire
extinguishers refused to work. This is unfortunate.
While others consider the incident a bad omen for the University, some people
see it as a challenge to the university to build lecture halls as the big building
seem to be the major lecture theatre in the permanent site. The second
generation university is lagging behind in terms of infrastructure. This is an
ordeal.
Students of the faculty of social sciences , who just graduated and are waiting
to be mobilized for the NYSC are also recounting their fears as their hope might
be dashed out as they suspect that their results and other details might have
been consumed in the inferno. What next?
The ongoing exams schedules may be shifted
There will be doubled problem for the faculty of social sciences in the
forthcoming NUC accreditation as most of the departments are under partial
accreditation
There is more trouble for the new Vice Chancellor who is faced with emerging
challenges – security threats, ICT scam, etc.
Availability of lecture halls will become a problem, and many other issues
(Philip Dade Simon )
