A three-storey building under construction behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, near Ekwueme Square in Okpuno, Awka, collapsed around 11:40 a.m. on Thursday, raising fears that workers and bystanders may be trapped beneath the rubble.
Eyewitnesses said the structure (then at the roofing stage) gave off unusual sounds before suddenly caving in. “We saw artisans on the roof. We don’t know how many were inside … people were trapped,” said one onlooker.
Rescuers immediately rushed to dig through debris, but their efforts were hampered by a lack of heavy equipment. Local volunteers and passers-by joined the struggle while waiting for cranes and excavators.
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Inspectors from COREN (Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria) and the state’s materials testing department arrived on site to begin a preliminary investigation.
Sir Victor Meju, Chairman of COREN-ERM Anambra, suggested that weak concrete mixtures and possible foundation failure could be responsible for the collapse. He confirmed that authorities from the Ministry of Housing and Awka Capital Territory Development Authority have been alerted.
The police, through SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said they had no official details yet but promised updates as the situation evolved. At the time of reporting, the number of casualties remained unknown as emergency teams continued their rescue operations.
