‘I jumped from second floor to survive’ – Anambra hostel collapse survivor

Survivors of the three-storey student hostel that collapsed near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State have narrated their near-death experiences, saying they had no inkling that the building would come crashing down until loud cracks echoed through the structure on Sunday night.

The building, known as Elite Five Star Lodge, a 100-room student hostel located at Amaokpala, collapsed late on Sunday, trapping several occupants beneath the rubble for hours before emergency responders arrived.

Two persons, a male and a female, reportedly died during rescue operations on Monday, while three others were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

However, when our correspondent visited the scene on Tuesday, no rescue operation was ongoing, despite the National Emergency Management Agency stating on Monday that the exercise would continue.

Speaking from her hospital bed in Oko, a 27-year-old survivor, Chinyere, said she occupied a room on the second floor of the building and had moved into the hostel in March without noticing any sign of danger.

She said the building nearly claimed her life as she leapt from the second floor while sections of the structure caved in.

“There was no sign that this would happen until that night. Suddenly, we heard loud cracking sounds from the walls, followed by people shouting for help. Neighbours rushed in to assist us,” she said.

“I occupied the last room on the second floor. When the walls started cracking, I ran out, leaving all my belongings behind. I rushed to the balcony as the sounds became louder. I remember jumping from the second floor, but I don’t know how I landed. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital.

“I had no premonition that the building would collapse.”

Another survivor and student of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Grace Nweke, said there were warning signs shortly before the collapse.

According to her, at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, a food vendor in the building alerted residents through their WhatsApp group that cracks had appeared in the walls.

“Before many of us could understand how serious the warning was, we heard loud cracking sounds and immediately fled for safety,” she said.

Nweke said she moved into the hostel in January 2026 and was unaware that the building was structurally defective.

“We later learnt that previous occupants had allegedly been asked by the owner to vacate the building because it had become unsafe. But the caretaker allegedly went ahead to rent it out to unsuspecting students,” she added.

Another occupant, Joseph Udo, said he escaped death because he was away visiting friends when the building collapsed.

He said he received a phone call around 10 p.m. informing him of the incident and rushed back to find the building reduced to rubble.

“My generator and other valuables were buried in the rubble,” he lamented.

He added that two bodies—a male and a female—were recovered from the debris the following morning.

“The lady was preparing for her wedding next month. People who knew her said she graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, last year,” Udo said.

The Deputy Director of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, Ndidi Omega, described the tragedy as unfortunate and avoidable, revealing that the building had already been marked for demolition.

She stressed that buildings declared unsafe should never remain occupied, warning that failure to enforce demolition orders could lead to preventable disasters.

Meanwhile, the Anambra State Government has announced tougher measures to improve building safety, including the prosecution of public officials and engineers found negligent in cases of structural failure.

In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, the government said approval officers and building engineers would henceforth be held accountable for building collapses resulting from negligence.

According to Mefor, the decision was taken during Monday’s State Executive Council meeting presided over by Governor Chukwuma Soludo.

“The council approved the prosecution of erring officers and engineers for professional misconduct in accordance with the law.

“It also directed that integrity tests be conducted on mass housing facilities, including student hostels, to prevent disasters associated with structural failures.

“The move is aimed at strengthening compliance with building regulations and ensuring that public and private structures meet the required safety standards,” the statement added.