Dilapidated Lecture Halls Spark Concerns For Sokoto University Students Ahead Of Exams
The building’s roof has collapsed, and ceiling panels are missing, leaving students vulnerable to extreme weather and safety hazards.
With exams just a week away, thousands of Sokoto University students are voicing concerns over the dire state of key lecture halls.
Images and footage obtained by SaharaReporters reveal that a major facility, built by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFUND) to seat 1,000 students, is in disarray.
The building’s roof has collapsed, and ceiling panels are missing, leaving students vulnerable to extreme weather and safety hazards.
The photos reveal a stark picture of abandonment and decay, with the lecture hall littered with debris and rubble. The collapsed roof and missing ceiling panels have made the facility unsafe and unusable, forcing students to find alternative spaces for learning.
One of the students of the school simply identified as Lawal said, “We have our lectures in these dilapidated buildings. Rain will fall, the sun will shine, and we will be under it learning. It’s so unfortunate that our exams are commencing next week, and we don’t even have suitable halls to take exams in without being afraid of rain or anything falling on our heads.”
SaharaReporters has discovered that the deterioration is not limited to the lecture halls alone, as other buildings on campus, including the mosque, are also in a state of disrepair.
“Even the mosque of Faculty of Art is in ruins and needs immediate action. As I’m talking, no one can pray even two raka’ah inside it,” another student said.
In a phone interview with SaharaReporters on Monday, Sokoto University’s spokesperson, Mr. Zayyanu Shehu, acknowledged that some lecture halls are in disrepair, blaming the damage on a recent severe storm in Sokoto State.
However, he disputed claims by students that the affected halls are currently being used for lectures.
Mr. Shehu reassured students that the upcoming exams, set to start next week, will not be impacted by the condition of the lecture halls.
He said despite the damage caused by the recent storm, the university has sufficient alternative facilities to accommodate students during the exams.
Shehu emphasised that the management is working diligently to repair the damaged halls, but in the meantime, the available halls will be used for the exams.
“The claim that some students were receiving lectures inside the halls is not true as displayed in the video. It is the work of some mischief makers,” Shehu said.
He continued: “Many of the buildings are affected by rainstorms and the management has repaired some. This particular TETFUND hall; we are making efforts to repair it. In fact, the state government and the TETFUND have released money for its repair.
“We have enough classes and lecture halls that will allow us to take our exams from next week.”
