Several worshippers sustained injuries after a church building collapsed during a Sunday service in Mutum-Biyu, the headquarters of Gassol Local Government Area in Taraba State.
The incident occurred at the United Methodist Church of Nigeria (UMCN), located behind the local divisional police office. According to eyewitness accounts, the structure gave way following a heavy downpour accompanied by strong winds, which reportedly weakened the building.
Though no fatalities were recorded, multiple individuals were injured. Victims with minor injuries were taken to the Mutum-Biyu Referral Hospital, while those with fractures were treated by a traditional bone setter in the community.
Alhaji Baffa Wanzami, a local bone specialist, confirmed that he treated three individuals, including a young girl, who suffered fractures to their arms and legs.
“It’s a tragic event,” Wanzami said in a phone conversation. “Some worshippers were injured when the church collapsed. A few, including a little girl, were brought to me with broken limbs, and I’ve attended to them.”
A local resident, Musa Adamu, noted that the storm also affected several residential structures in the area.
Authorities are yet to issue an official statement, but community members have called for urgent assessments of public buildings, especially places of worship, to ensure structural safety in the face of increasingly severe weather patterns.
