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 )

All exams slated for 10th,Oct is tomorrow won't hold,shifted but no new date for now. went to read at main campus and saw the circular.God help us