Seven people were injured when a three-storey building under construction collapsed at Aboga along the Igwuruta-Etche Road in Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, January 4, 2025, while workers were on-site. According to an eyewitness, no lives were lost, but seven of the nine workers present were rescued with varying injuries, while two others managed to jump from the building.
The eyewitness recalled hearing the building collapse and seeing some workers jump to safety, while others were trapped under the debris. Another witness reported hearing a loud noise and rushing out to find the building collapsing. Local residents and passersby used axes to break through the rubble to rescue the victims before government and police teams arrived to assist.
Emeka Kalu, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday.
He said that in addition to the initial rescue efforts by local residents, authorities from the Ikwerre Local Government Area and officials from the Rivers State Ministries of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties, quickly responded to distress calls. Excavators, a fire truck, and an ambulance were deployed to aid in rescuing victims, some of whom were trapped in the rubble.
Evans Bipi, the State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, expressed regret that the year began with such an incident. He attributed the collapse to the use of substandard materials by the developer, a concern he had raised in previous warnings.
“This is unfortunate, though no lives were lost,” Bipi stated. “This is the fourth building collapse we’ve had in the state since I took office.”
Preliminary investigations suggest that the collapse was caused by the use of inadequate materials, particularly the use of 12mm rods for decking, which violates construction standards. He also noted that similar collapses in the state have been linked to the same issue.
Bipi further criticized the developer for building without an approved government plan and ordered the site to be sealed for further investigation. The property owner has been summoned for questioning as part of the ongoing inquiry.
The commissioner condemned the repeated violations of building codes and the use of substandard materials, warning that such practices would no longer be tolerated. He emphasized that these issues had led to unnecessary injuries, loss of life, and financial damages.
