A three-storey building under construction in Rivers State collapsed on Tuesday morning, October 29, 2024. The building, located in Iriebe Community within Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, was still in the early stages when it fell. Workers had already arrived for the day’s work, but fortunately, there have been no reports of injuries or fatalities.

Local government officials quickly responded to the incident. Ambassador Chijioke Ihunwo, the Chairman of Obio/Akpor LGA, visited the site to assess the damage. According to a statement from his Chief Press Secretary, Ofonime Okon, it’s not yet confirmed if anyone is trapped under the debris. As a precaution, the chairman ordered the immediate shutdown of the site.

The chairman expressed his concern over the incident, calling it a “very unfortunate” situation. He directed the building’s owner, whose identity is still unknown, and the site engineer to report to his office for questioning. The chairman also requested documentation proving that the construction had been approved by the Rivers State Ministry of Urban Development.

Ambassador Ihunwo raised further concerns about the quality of construction materials used at the site, suggesting that substandard materials might have contributed to the collapse. To ensure accountability, the local government plans to collaborate with the Ministry of Urban Development to confirm if the building had all the required permits and to review the structural integrity of the project.

This tragic collapse has prompted officials to strengthen building inspection efforts and reinforce safety standards to prevent similar incidents in the future.