5-storey building collapses in Anambra, leaves workers feared trapped, exposing fatal safety flaws in Awka’s construction practices

Shockwaves rippled through Awka on Thursday morning as a five-storey structure under construction suddenly crumbled, trapping an unknown number of workers beneath the wreckage.

Also read: Katsina building collapse kills six in tragic overnight downpour

Located just behind the Anambra State House of Assembly, the building fell around 11:40 am, prompting immediate chaos.

Witnesses described a thunderous noise as the structure collapsed during roofing work on the sixth level.

Panic quickly spread across the area, with residents and bystanders scrambling to assist, though their rescue efforts were hampered by a lack of equipment.

Officials from the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) and the materials testing department rushed to the site.

Preliminary reports indicate the building suffered a vertical, total collapse likely due to a poor concrete mixture and foundation failure.

Sir Victor Meju, Chairman of COREN-ERM Anambra, confirmed, “This was a five-storey building, and the collapse happened shortly after roofing. Our early findings suggest substandard materials and structural negligence.”

Despite the severity of the situation, Anambra State Police were initially unaware of the incident. Spokesman SP Tochukwu Ikenga later confirmed inquiries were underway.

The building collapse has once again raised urgent questions over construction oversight in the state. With lives feared lost and rescue efforts delayed due to logistical shortcomings, public outcry is intensifying.

Also read: Building collapse crisis in Lagos sparks urgent reform calls from industry experts

This disaster adds to a growing list of preventable building failures across Nigeria, spotlighting the deadly consequences of regulatory failure and corner-cutting in the construction sector.