Widespread devastation has been reported at the federal Polytechnic Idah following a heavy rainstorm in the local government.
The rainstorm, said to have lasted hours, had inflicted severe damage to the properties of the institution.
An eyewitness account revealed that the storm, accompanied by wind, caused severe damage to the roofs, walls, and windows of several buildings, including lecture halls, laboratories, and students’ hostels.
The Rector of the institution, Dr Yakubu Usman, while speaking with newsmen on Thursday during an inspection tour to assess the damages, disclosed that “it was a terrifying experience for the Polytechnic at such a time as this. We are saddened by the high level of destruction caused by the storm.
“We are still assessing the damage to determine the financial implications of repairing and restoring the damaged facilities. So far, with the level of destruction, only Federal Government intervention can bring the institution out of this situation faster,” he said.
He added that they would do everything possible to provide the necessary support to affected students and ensure that academic activities resume as soon as possible.
Also, the Deputy Rector (Academics), Associate Professor Muhammad Yusuf, accompanied by the Director of Works and Services, the Director of Physical Planning, the Dean of Student Affairs, the President of the Student Union Government, and other SUG executives who inspected the destruction, noted that the winds were so strong that they ripped off roofs, uprooted trees, and shattered windows.
The Director of Works and Services, Engr Fajilade Adeniyi, while speaking, noted that the storm also caused power outages and disrupted academic activities, especially in the departments affected by the storm. Hostel accommodations were also affected.