A four-storey building under construction has collapsed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state capital.
The incident happened on Saturday, September 17, 2022, but details are sketchy as of the time of this report. Some persons are feared trapped in the rubble.
Building collapse is common in some parts of Nigeria, especially the urban centres. Saturday’s incident comes weeks after another structure collapsed in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja. Two persons died in the incident.
Enforcement of safety regulations and the use of shoddy materials have been highlighted since November last year after a high-rise building under construction collapsed in the Ikoyi district of Lagos, killing at least 45 people.
Since 2005, at least 152 buildings have collapsed in Lagos, according to a South African university researcher investigating construction disasters.
President Muhammadu Buhari has called for improved construction standards, describing the frequent building collapses as “increasingly embarrassing”.
