It was learnt that the children went to the refuse dump very close to the toilet to dig up materials to sell to scavengers, when the incident occurred at about 10 am on Saturday.
The building, it was learnt, had been on the verge of collapse for years and efforts by the Niger State Universal Basic Education Board (NSUBEB) to repair the building and fence the school had met with stiff resistance from the residents.
A resident in the area, who prefers anonymity, said the school had been collapsing bit by bit for some years due to vandal activities by residents living around the school.
“Now, if you go to the school, it is open. None of the classrooms has a door or window because they have been stolen; the fence has collapsed and people have been vandalising the infrastructures in the school.
“The toilet block is outside the school building and there is a refuse dump very close to the toilet. Children usually go to the refuse dump to dig up for things they can sell. It was in the process of digging the refuse this morning that the block which was on the verge of collapsing fell on the children.”
Three of the injured children are currently receiving treatment in the hospital in Paiko.