A church building belonging to the United Methodist Church Nigeria (UMCN) has collapsed in Jantaro community, Mutum-Biyu town, the headquarters of Gassol Local Government Area, Taraba State, leaving many worshippers injured.
The incident occurred on Sunday, June 15, 2025, while congregants were inside the church for service. According to local sources, the collapse was triggered by a heavy rainfall accompanied by a strong windstorm, which caused the structure to give way.
Fortunately, there were no fatalities reported. However, several worshippers sustained varying degrees of injuries. Those with less severe injuries were taken to Mutumbiyu Referral Hospital for treatment, while individuals with fractures were rushed to a local bone setter in the town. Among those treated was a young girl who suffered fractures to her arms and legs.
Alhaji Baffa Wanzami, a well-known bone setter in the area, confirmed that he attended to three worshippers with broken bones, including the young girl. “It is very sad that some worshippers were injured while others got fractures when the church they were conducting service in collapsed. Some of those that got fractures including a little girl were brought to me and I set their fractured bones,” he said.
The collapse also reportedly affected some nearby houses, which were damaged by the same storm that brought down the church building.
This incident is the latest in a series of church collapses in Taraba State, where similar tragedies have occurred in recent years, often linked to poor construction standards and extreme weather conditions. Local authorities and community leaders have called for urgent attention to building safety and quality to prevent future occurrences.
