The bodies of five workers who died at a construction site have been recovered by rescuers in the Obingwu community, Ukwa West Local Government Area of Abia State.
The victims were trapped when a three-storey building under construction collapsed.
Although the official cause of the collapse has not been established, local sources attribute the tragedy to an alleged use of substandard materials.
A source further claimed that most of the victims were nationals of a West African country working for a contractor.
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Speaking with our correspondent, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy in the state, Prince Okey Kalu, said the government received the sad news and mobilised all relevant agencies and departments for emergency response.
He said the Commissioners for Lands and Housing, Environment, the Mayor of Ukwa West, the head of Homeland Security and other state officials were present to support rescue operations. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of the rescue teams, all the five individuals trapped under the rubble were found dead.
“The Abia State Government extends its condolence to the families and friends of the victims and the Obingwu community over this tragic and avoidable incident. May the souls of the victims rest in peace!
“Preliminary reports suggest that the collapse was due to a possible use of substandard building materials and poor supervision at the site.
The state government has ordered a full-scale investigation into the cause of the collapse. Additionally, the Mayor of Ukwa West is working with the police to arrest the building contractor, who has been missing since the incident, to aid the investigation.
“The Abia State Government advises those in the building industry to adhere to best practices regarding material quality and supervision in their construction activities,” the commissioner stated.
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