Bakeru Iwal, a 25-year-old construction worker, died in Otolo-Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, after part of an old building collapsed during demolition.

The incident occurred while workers were engaged in the demolition of the structure, according to preliminary information released by the Anambra State Police Command.

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Eyewitnesses and residents near the scene said a section of the building suddenly gave way, trapping Iwal inside the structure.

The Anambra building collapse was subsequently reported to the police, prompting officers from the Otolo Divisional Headquarters to respond to the scene.

The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Wednesday.

Ikenga said officers cordoned off the area, documented the scene and began preliminary investigations to establish what led to the collapse.

“Preliminary information indicates that the building was being demolished when a section of the structure suddenly collapsed, trapping one of the workers,” Ikenga said.

The deceased was identified as Iwal, a 25-year-old man who was working at the site when the structure collapsed.

Police said his remains were evacuated to a mortuary for preservation pending an autopsy and other necessary examinations.

The Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Nnanna Ama, has directed that the investigation be conducted professionally and thoroughly.

According to the police, the investigation will seek to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and determine whether anyone bears responsibility.

Appropriate action will be taken based on the outcome of the investigation, the command said.

The police also urged residents to remain calm and allow investigators to complete their work, promising that further information would be released when available.

The incident has once again drawn attention to the risks associated with building demolition, particularly where old structures are being dismantled manually.

Earlier in September, a similar incident occurred in Lagos State, where one person died and two others were rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed in the Aboru area of Alimosho.

That incident occurred at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, according to Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency.

The latest tragedy in Nnewi adds to concerns surrounding safety procedures at demolition and construction sites, although the circumstances of the Anambra incident have yet to be fully established.

Police investigations are expected to determine whether safety measures were followed during the demolition and whether any other factors contributed to the collapse.