THE Edo State Government has expressed relief that all University of Benin (UNIBEN) students trapped in the collapsed three-storey building on Ekhator Street, Benin City, were rescued.
In a press statement by the special adviser to the Edo State Governor on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, on Saturday, September 14, the government said there were no fatalities recorded, adding that the rescued students are currently receiving medical attention.
This was as the government also announced an investigation into the cause of the collapse.
The building, located near the UNIBEN campus and hosting some students, caved in on Saturday morning, September 14, following rainfall, according to a reports.
The ICIR reported that videos of the collapsed building circulating on social media showed students attempting to rescue their peers from under the debris.
The videos also showed the severity of the downpour, revealing how water had submerged parts of the road leading to the hostels.
Reacting to the development, the government said a rescue team was deployed to the site of the incident and all the trapped students were rescued alive.
“Emergency Responders including the Edo State Fire Service and officials from the Edo State Command and Control Centre deployed to the scene of the accident have confirmed that there are no fatalities from the incident as of this time.
“Excavators and other heavy equipment are on site to clear the rubble and also remove the other parts of the distressed building.
“The government has ordered a full investigation into the immediate and remote causes of the collapse as well as an audit of other buildings in the area to ascertain their status,” the statement added.
It further noted that the state government has stationed officials at the site to provide updates on the incident.
“We appreciate the gallant work of the emergency responders and the good Samaritans in the community who assisted in managing the situation,”the government applauded.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M