Four students of a secondary school in the Alagbado area of Ilorin, Kwara State, escaped death on Wednesday after a two-storeyed building under construction collapsed on them.

Sources said one of the teachers of the students, one Muritala, had brought them to the building on Opeyemi Street, in the Saw Mill area of Ilorin when the building collapsed at about 9am. It was learnt that the students were quickly rescued and taken to a nearby building, where water was poured on them.

An eyewitness, who declined to give his name, said, "The teacher is a son of the owner of the building. The teacher is in the habit of taking the students to the building site for menial jobs. The students were rescued and taken to a nearby building where water was poured on them.

"Muritala also took the four male students through the back door after they were calm enough and took them back to school." It was gathered that students were usually brought to the building as a form of punishment.

Punch correspondent sighted the school uniforms of the students, - yellow stripped shirts and aqua green shorts - under the rubbles.