Students feared trapped as building falls in Oko

Undergraduate students are feared trapped in Oko, a community in Anambra State, after a three-storey building collapsed on Sunday night.

The incident happened at Amaokpala, Oko, in the Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The building, known as the Elite Five Star Lodge, was mainly occupied by students from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.

A former official from the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) confirmed this news to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday morning. The source, who did not want to be named, said an unknown number of students are still trapped under the rubble.

When PREMIUM TIMES reached out, the Executive Secretary of SEMA, Ndidi Omega, first promised to provide information but had not given any updates by the time this article was published.

The Anambra State Police Command has also confirmed the incident. In a statement released on Monday morning, police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said that rescue operations are in progress.

Mr Ikenga, who is a superintendent of police, mentioned that SEMA officials and police officers were sent to the scene after receiving a distress call.

“After we got the distress report, the Police, together with other security agencies, quickly rushed to the scene, secured the area to avoid more danger, and organized rescue efforts,” Mr Ikenga stated. “The Anambra State Fire Service and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also responded quickly and joined the rescue mission.”

The spokesperson confirmed that some injured victims have been treated and taken to a local hospital in Oko for medical care. Rescue efforts are still ongoing to find others who are still trapped.

Mr Ikenga asked residents to stay calm, avoid spreading unverified news, and keep away from the area to allow emergency responders to work without hindrance.

“More updates will be shared as soon as we have more verified information,” he assured.