A three-storey building under construction collapsed on Saturday, January 4, 2025, along the Igwuruta-Etche Road in Aboga, Ikwerre Local Government Area, Rivers State. The collapse occurred around 1:30 pm while workers were present at the site.
Seven workers sustained various injuries, though no fatalities were reported. According to an eyewitness, two workers managed to jump from the building as it was collapsing, while the remaining seven were trapped but later rescued.
The eyewitness described the scene, saying, “Getting here, I saw the building collapsing. While some of the workers were able to jump out, others could not as the building collapsed on them,”
“Getting here, I saw the building collapsing. While some of the workers were able to jump out, others could not as the building collapsed on them,” he said. “Another eyewitness who did not want his name in print said, “I heard a loud sound while I was in the house; when I rushed out, I saw the building collapsing. Some persons from this area and passersby started using axes to break through the debris to rescue the victims before the government and police came to join the rescue effort.”
The Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Emeka Kalu, confirmed the incident in a statement on Sunday afternoon.
Kalu said that aside from the initial rescue efforts by residents in the neighborhood, the authority of the Ikwerre Local Government Area and officials of the Rivers State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, as well as the Ministry of Special Duties, moved in just in time while responding to distress calls.
He said the ministries immediately deployed excavators, a fire truck, and an ambulance to ensure the timely rescue of the victims, some of whom were trapped in the rubble.
The State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Evans Bipi, who visited the scene said it is unfortunate to begin the year with a building collapse.
Bipi attributed the incident to the use of substandard materials by the developer, which he said he had warned against in previous cases.
“It is unfortunate that we are beginning the year with this tragic incident, though no life was lost. This is the 4th building collapse we have witnessed in the state since I assumed office,” he said.
“Preliminary investigation at the scene of the incident shows that the building may have collapsed due to the use of substandard materials by the developer
“Specifically, the use of 12mm rods for decking a building is a clear violation of construction standards. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident, as similar cases of building collapse in the state have been linked to the same cause—the use of inferior materials.”
He also accused the developer of building without a government-approved building plan and ordered that the site be sealed pending an investigation into the cause of the building collapse.
According to the statement, the commissioner has summoned the property owner to report to the Ministry for questioning in tandem with investigations.
“As a government, we are not happy with the repeated causes of building collapse in the state that have claimed lives, injured several persons, and caused avoidable damages and losses to developers in the state.
“Let me warn that we will no longer condone a situation where some builders will continue to violate the building code, including building without a government-approved building plan and compromising safety standards by using substandard materials in a bid to save cost.”
