TWO DEAD, THREE RESCUED AS THREE-STOREY STUDENT HOSTEL COLLAPSES NEAR FEDERAL POLYTECHNIC OKO

A tragic incident unfolded in the Amaokpala community near Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, after a three-storey private student hostel collapsed late Sunday night. The structure, identified as the 60-room "Elite Five Star Lodge" situated near Tonimas Filling Station, caved in around 10:00 p.m. after occupants heard loud cracking sounds, sending panic through surrounding neighborhoods as several residents were trapped under the debris.

​Joint emergency responders—comprising the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Anambra State Fire Service, the Nigerian Red Cross, and security operatives—promptly mobilized heavy-duty equipment to secure the perimeter and search through the rubble. Officials confirmed that three survivors were rescued alive with varying degrees of injury on the night of the incident and rushed to medical facilities in Oko for treatment. However, as search-and-rescue efforts continued into Monday, emergency workers recovered the bodies of two deceased victims—a male and a female—from beneath the collapsed structure.

​Addressing public concern, the management of Federal Polytechnic, Oko, issued an official statement through its Public Relations Officer, Dr. Oguegbu Celestine Udoka, clarifying that the collapsed lodge is a off-campus, privately owned facility occupied by both students and non-students. The institution noted that many students had already vacated off-campus housing following the completion of second-semester examinations, while police and emergency agencies urged the public to stay clear of the site to allow rescue teams unrestricted access. Meanwhile, the Anambra State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development has formally sealed off the premises, citing preliminary structural defects and initiating a comprehensive technical investigation to determine the exact cause of the collapse and enforce building compliance.