Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, has confirmed that he was present at the Reigners Bible Church building when its roof collapsed on Saturday, killing scores of people.

The church collapsed during a ceremony in which the pastor of the church was to be ordained a bishop.

“Pastor Akan Week was being consecrated today so the programme was holding inside the Church when suddenly, the whole building collapsed,” an eye witness said.

He added that the Church was being renovated and upgraded because of the  number of guests expected at the ceremony.

Other eye-witnesses had also told journalists that the governor and other dignitaries escaped unhurt because they were seated at the ‘high table’ in front of the building while the building caved in from the middle.

In a state broadcast later on Saturday, the governor said though he was unhurt, he was still traumatised after the incident.

“I was present at the church during the incident and shared in the agony of the moment,” he said, adding that he “personally supervised rescue operations and evacuation of the injured to the hospital.”

“I directed all emergency organizations, agencies of government and corporate organizations especially the construction companies to be involved in the exercise.

“They acted promptly and I commend their sense of patriotism and gallantry,”Udom Said.

The governor said that the state government  will set-up “a high-powered panel of inquiry to ascertain the immediate and remote causes leading to the collapse of the building with a view to forestalling the recurrence of such incident and bring to book persons found to have compromised professional standards in the construction of the building.”

He promised that the State will also foot the medical bills of the injured victims.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhri has made a phone call to Governor Udom to felicitate with him and his family on their lucky escape from the unfortunate incident.

Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu made this known in a statement late on Saturday.

Shehu stated that President Buhari on behalf of all Nigerians also sympathized with people of Akwa Ibom State, especially members of the Church and families of victims who either lost their lives or were injured in the incident.

He prayed for the soul of the dead to rest in peace while also urging the people to rally round the injured ones in order to ease their pain and hurt.