•A collapsed building
Tragedy struck at Anata Anaba, Okpoko, in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State as a woman and her 14-year-old daughter died after a three-storey building under construction collapsed on their home last night.
The sad incident was said to have occurred at about 9:45 p.m, reports Channels TV.
The duo, identified as Happiness Ugoagu and Chikaima, were asleep in their bedroom when the incident happened.
The woman’s son, Chimobi Ugoagu, said he was outside the house while his siblings were in the sitting room when the building collapsed.
He alleged that residents had warned the builder about the danger posed by the structure, but their appeals were ignored.
According to him, an engineer had also advised that the building should not exceed two storeys because the land was waterlogged.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, visited the scene and described the incident as unfortunate.
He alleged that substandard materials had been used in the construction.
Ojukwu said a stop-work notice had previously been issued on the building, which he described as illegal.
He ordered its demolition, alongside other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.
The Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Nnamdi Ifejika, expressed sadness over the deaths and commiserated with the family.
“This is a very painful and heartbreaking moment for us as a people. We cannot begin to imagine the pain of losing a mother and her daughter in such a tragic circumstance,” he said.
Ifejika urged residents to report concerns about unsafe buildings before they result in tragedy, stressing the need to prioritise public safety.
He also directed that the situation be closely monitored and called on the relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The council chairman assured the bereaved family and the Okpoko community of the local government’s support and urged residents to cooperate with emergency personnel and other authorities.
