A middle-aged man named Udeme is feared dead following the collapse of a two-storey building under construction in the Egbelu Mgbaraja area of Ogbogoro Community, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State.
The incident, which occurred on Monday, November 4, 2024, at around 2 p.m., comes just a week after a three-storey building collapsed in the Iriebe area of the same local government, though no casualties were recorded in that case.
According to an eyewitness, Mr. Jonathan Obey, the building caved in while contractors were working on the second floor, killing one of the workers and leaving another severely injured. Obey suggested that the collapse may have been caused by deliberate infractions by the property developer, citing the use of substandard materials and poor construction practices.
“It’s a building collapse. One person is trapped inside the rubble. When we tried to rescue him, we couldn’t. Our investigation revealed that substandard materials were used for the project. The foundation was only three feet deep for a two-storey building, which is inadequate. The rods used were of poor quality, and the structure lacked a center beam and a pillar. They also didn’t use enough cement in casting the first decking,” Obey stated.
In response, the Rivers State Government has sealed off the premises of the collapsed building and declared the property developer, Vincent Nwoye, wanted in connection with the incident.
During an on-the-spot inspection of the site, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Rt. Hon. Evans Bipi, accused Nwoye of gross negligence and violating the state’s building regulations. Bipi attributed the collapse to the developer’s failure to obtain a government-approved building plan and the use of substandard materials, which led to the tragedy.
