Skip to main content

Akwa Ibom governor escapes death as church building collapses

Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom-Emmanuel

Reports have revealed that Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom was inside the Reigners Bible Church International building in Uyo when it collapsed during a worship session on Saturday.

The governor who was the special guest of honour at the consecration service of the Founder of the church, Apostle Akan Weeks, as a bishop, however, escaped unhurt’.

The Reigners Bible Church International building, situated on Uyo Village Road, was still under construction when it collapsed.

Its iron rafters caved in as the service was ongoing.

A witness disclosed that the building collapsed 30 minutes after the governor arrived.

”When we were about taking offering, 30 minutes after the governor came in, the building caved in. Security operatives took him away,’’ he said.

A visit to the scene revealed that security operatives had cordoned off the entire building while trying to rescue those trapped in the debris.

Another witness, Miss Uduak Effiong, said that a female victim’s bowel was ripped open by the tragedy.

Effiong, who is a communication arts student of the University of Uyo, said that she lost three friends to the incident.

Mr Joseph James, who also witnessed the building collapse, said that the Founder of the church, Apostle Akan Weeks, was also brought out unhurt.

Some rescue team members said that over 60 casualties had been removed from the debris.

However, the state Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Cordelia Nwawe, said that she could not confirm the casualty figure since rescue operations were ongoing.

She said that security operatives had been drafted to maintain law and order at the scene to prevent hoodlums from cashing in on the situation.

“Rescue team members are trying their best to rescue all the victims trapped at the collapsed building.

”We cannot tell you the exact number of casualties now as the rescue operations are on,’’ she said.

The rescue team at scene is made up of workers of Julius Berger Construction Company, the police, army, Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Medical Association and the Federal Road Safety Corps.

Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Houthis Claim Attack on Central Israel in Response to Gaza ‘Massacres’

The ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas has taken a concerning regional turn as the Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for an attack on central Israel. The group announced this as part of their escalating response to what they describe as "massacres" in Gaza amid the Israeli military’s operations in the strip. Details of the Attack The Houthis, a Shiite militant group with ties to Iran, declared that they launched missile and drone strikes targeting Israel. While the exact impact of these attacks remains unclear, reports suggest that Israel’s defense systems intercepted several threats over its airspace. This marks a significant escalation as the Houthis widen their involvement in the conflict beyond their typical operations within Yemen and neighboring Saudi Arabia. The Houthis’ Justification In their statement, the Houthis framed the attack as retaliation for Israel’s military actions in Gaza, which they characterized as indiscriminate bombings resultin...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fall of Assad is a Blow to Russia's Prestige

The potential fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, a long-standing ally of Russia, would mark a turning point in Moscow’s global influence, particularly in the Middle East. Steve Rosenberg’s analysis underscores the profound implications for Russia, which has invested heavily—both militarily and politically—in ensuring Assad’s survival over the past decade. This article delves into why Assad’s downfall would strike at the core of Russian prestige and what it could mean for the broader geopolitical landscape. Russia's Strategic Commitment to Syria Since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, Russia has been a staunch supporter of Assad's regime. In 2015, Moscow launched a military intervention that proved decisive in stabilizing Assad’s hold on power. This intervention solidified Russia's role as a key power broker in the Middle East and demonstrated its willingness to project military power far beyond its borders. Syria is not just an ally for Russia; it is a...
Post a Comment
Read more

Fire: UniJos Senate convenes emergency meeting on Monday

Fire at the University of Jos Library University of Jos is to convene an emergency senate meeting on Monday to review the level of damage done to the institution by the Saturday night inferno. The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Sebastian Maimako, disclosed this on Sunday after inspecting areas affected by the incident. The fire, which lasted for more than six hours, destroyed the Library Complex that equally houses the faculties of management and social sciences. The fire also destroyed examination scripts, books and very crucial materials. Consequently, the vice-chancellor said “the Senate will meet tomorrow (Monday) to take a decision about the unmarked examination scripts that were burnt.” On the cause of the inferno, Maimako said investigation had commenced, adding that “nothing has been confirmed yet. We are still investigating.” The vice chancellor said the school was already working with federal authorities toward establishing a main fire station since the mini fire station in t...
Post a Comment
Read more