THE EFFECT OF WINDSTORM THREATS ON HIGHER INSTITUTIONAL BIULDINGS IN THE NORTH EAST REGION OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The study considered the manifestation of windstorm on higher institutional buildings in 
the northeast region of Nigeria. The study aims at finding the knowledge base of 
windstorm, examine the impact of windstorm on the higher institution and recommend 
appropriate measures to ameliorate the situation in the study location. The study adopted 
the random sampling method under the probability sampling technique. A total of 250 
questionnaires were distributed and the total valid questionnaire used for analysis was 
215 constituting 86% of the questionnaire. Data collected were analysed using descriptive 
statistics. The study revealed that majority of the respondents (83.7%) attributed the cause 
of windstorm to God’s act, windstorms have potential threats on physical infrastructure, 
academic activities and socio-economic engagements among others. Strategies like 
broader, intensive and continuous public awareness campaign by stakeholders, 
enforcement of wind-resistant building codes, and compliance with resilient infrastructure 
design and windbreakers among others, received overwhelming acceptance as proposed 
measures for windstorm resilience. The overall evaluation of these strategies was 90%. 
Hence, this study recommends public awareness by relevant stakeholders on human 
contribution to the causes of windstorm. Institution to insist that contractors engage 
registered professionals in the built environment for the assurance of compliance with the 
required building codes and standards for safety of lives and property. Also, institution 
should ensure the implementation of these strategies to minimise the unpleasant 
manifestations of windstorms as man and disaster are inseparable.