Rainstorm Destroys Hostels, Electricity Poles at UNN

 worthy millions were destroyed at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), on Monday, following a rainstorm that struck the city.

According to TheNation, properties worth millions were destroyed at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), on Monday, following a rainstorm that struck the city.

Academic buildings and students’ hostels, including Opara and Eni Njoku Halls were destroyed by the rainstorm that lasted four hours.

Major routes on the campus were littered with logs and electric poles brought down by the wind, leaving the roads impassable.

Also impassable was the road leading to the graduate school from the institution’s main gate, making the university workers to go through Akanu Ibiam Stadium Road to get to the school’s Administrative Building. This, again, resulted in traffic congestion.

As the rainstorm blew off hostels’ roofs, making students to run out of their rooms for safety. The affected halls have been deserted, as students had moved out their personal effects to seek temporary accommodation elsewhere.

Occupants of Opara Hall said the incident “happened unexpectedly”, expressing gratitude to God for protecting their lives.

The affected students said in chorus: “We are stranded; we want the management to urgently do something about it.”

One of them, who gave her name as Rita, said: “Many of us are not from Nsukka and we don’t have alternative places to stay than our hostels.”

At Eni Njoku Hall, students expressed disappointment, saying the destruction was an indication that the building was in “poor state”. They said the hostel needed “complete renovation” to prevent future occurrence.

One of the affected students, Chibuzor Ugwu,  said: “It is quite embarrassing that an institution like UNN could not boast of strong hostels to accommodate its students. I was in secondary school when I started to hear about UNN’s accommodation challenges. I urge the management and government to do something urgent and stop moving students from one place to another whenever there is a disaster.”

Chibuzor appealed to management to re-design major roads on the campus, saying the rainstorm disrupted activities because the roads were in deplorable conditions.

Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof Ifeanyi Ofoefule, did not respond to questions by our reporter to know the steps the school was taking in the aftermath of the storm.