Metro
SAD! Six casualties, 20 injured in Anambra building collapse
The Anambra State Emergency Management Agency has confirmed the death of six people in the building collapse incident that occurred in the commercial city of Onitsha on Monday.
According to the agency, about 20 other people were rescued from the rubbles of the collapsed building. Most of them sustained various levels of injuries and are currently receiving treatment at a nearby hospital around the market.
“About six bodies recovered from the rubbles have been deposited at the morgue, while those who sustained varying degrees of injuries were taken to the nearby hospital for medical attention, rescue efforts are still ongoing,” SEMA officials said in a statement released on Tuesday.
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has visited the Ochanje building site in the commercial city of Onitsha to inspect the extent of damages and cause of the incident.
While at the scene, the governor promised that he would ensure that the victims of the collapsed building receive justice.
The collapsed three-storey building still under construction, which was meant to serve as a market on completion, collapsed at about 8 pm on Monday, while some of the workers and traders were still in the building.
Soludo who was visibly angry at the scene said he was not aware that the construction of the building was going on at the market.
He said, “When investigations are completed, the developer, the Chairman of the market and every other person involved in the disaster will be prosecuted and jailed.
“The remaining building under construction by the same developer, near the collapsed one will be demolished immediately after rescue operations on the site have been completed.”
Soludo also stated that any construction in any market in Anambra State without his express approval will be demolished while vowing that every other existing building must pass through an integrity test.
Also, the Commissioner for Special Duties, Beverly Ikpeazu-Nkemdiche also mourned the victims of the collapse and assured the families that the state government would make sure that no one who was culpable in the disaster went unpunished.
The governor was joined on the visit by top government officials, where he ordered that more excavators be brought to the site of the collapse to help in the rescue operations.
As of the time of filing this report, rescue operations were still ongoing to search for more trapped victims in the rubble.
Earlier today, some yet-to-be-ascertained number of persons have been trapped as a building under construction caved in near the Ochanja market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
It was gathered that the building, meant to serve as a market on completion, collapsed at about 8 pm on Monday with some of the workers still inside the building.
The situation created panic around the area as passers-by and residents were making efforts to rescue the trapped victims from the rubble.
Armed internet fraudsters fatally shot an officer after opening fire on a team of anti-graft operatives in Anambra on Friday.
The officers were on a mission to corner a cluster of suspected cybercriminals, widely known as Yahoo Boys, when they were met with lethal violence on Friday morning, The Gazette learnt.
One officer was shot dead on the spot and another sustained serious injuries and remained hospitalised in critical condition as of Friday night, The Gazette heard.
The officers had travelled to Anambra on the assignment from their zonal headquarters in Enugu.
A male suspect has been taken into custody for the murder, an official said. His identity was not immediately disclosed, and whether he had contacted a lawyer remained unclear.
A spokesman for the EFCC said he would find out about the incident when reached by The Gazette. A police spokesman in Anambra did not immediately comment.
The attack came as chairman Ola Olukoyede was recalibrating the agency’s protocol on raiding white-collar criminals. Yahoo Boys were hitherto largely known to be unarmed and, therefore, easily to take into custody.
The deceased officer was identified as an assistant superintendent who had recently completed a promotional examination. The Gazette has withheld his identity to allow time for his family to be officially notified.
Anti-graft agents expressed apprehension over the development, with some telling The Gazette the agency’s personnel insurance had been moribund for years.
“We no longer have life insurance,” an officer said under anonymity to discuss internal administrative policies. “The last time family members of an officer who died on duty were compensated was under Farida Waziri.”
“So the families of the officer that died today won’t be getting anything,” another officer added. “So can we say he died for nothing?”
Five soldiers and six terrorists died in a firefight between troops of the Nigerian Army and members of the Lakurawa terrorists in the Gudu LGA of Sokoto state.
Abubakar Abdullahi, the coordinator of the joint media coordination centre for operation Fansan Yamma, in a statement issued on Thursday, said the operation was carried out by the troops of the defence headquarters special operations brigade.
“On Jan 11, the troops of defence headquarters special operations brigade conducted a coordinated offensive operation against Lakurawa terrorists and made contact in Gudu local government area of Sokoto state,” the statement reads.
“Despite this success, the operation came at a heavy cost, as five gallant soldiers tragically lost their lives in the line of duty.”
Abdullahi added that the troops recovered four AK-47 rifles, 160 rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, and a box of 12.7mm ammunition during the operation.
He urged members of the public to remain vigilant and observant in their communities while advising them to report any suspicious activity to security agencies.
“Public cooperation is crucial for protecting lives and maintaining peace in our communities,” he added.
One year after the devastating explosion in the Bodija area of Ibadan, affected residents are still awaiting the compensation they were promised. During an interdenominational service held to mark the anniversary of the tragedy, Pastor Muyiwa Bamgbose, President of the Bodija Estate Residents’ Association (BERA), expressed the community’s ongoing struggles, with many families still displaced and properties left in ruins.
Pastor Bamgbose highlighted that several homes remain uninhabitable, overgrown with weeds and abandoned. The service, which took place at the Bodija Estate Baptist Church, was organized by BERA in partnership with the Dejo Oyelese Vigilante Group (DOVG) to honor the five residents who lost their lives in the explosion.
The deceased were identified as Mr. Fimihan Fagbemi, Mr. Toluwalase Kehinde, Mr. Ladipo Azeez Oyebamiji, Mrs. Agnus Bolanle Badmus, and Mr. Bolu Adebiyi. The explosion also left over 70 people injured and caused severe damage to more than 200 houses, leaving a permanent scar on the community.
Pastor Bamgbose called for justice for the victims and more support from authorities. He urged residents to use the tragedy as a catalyst to foster unity and resilience within the community.
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