Students Feared Trapped as Three-Storey Hostel Collapses in Anambra

Rescue workers are searching for an unknown number of students feared trapped after a three-storey hostel building collapsed in Amokpala, Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, reportedly caved in on Sunday night beside Tonimas Filling Station, throwing the community into panic as emergency responders rushed to the scene.

The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying a joint security and emergency response operation was immediately activated to rescue victims and secure the area.

In a statement issued on Monday, the command’s spokesperson, Tochukwu Ikenga, said police officers, other security agencies, the Anambra State Fire Service and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency were working together to save those trapped beneath the rubble.

“The Anambra State Police-led joint security team assures the public that rescue operations are ongoing following the late-night incident on Sunday involving the collapse of a three-storey building known as Elite Five Star Lodge, located beside Tonimas Filling Station, Amokpala, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of the state,” the statement said.

Ikenga explained that the collapse resulted in several occupants being trapped under the debris, although the exact number of casualties or victims had yet to be determined.

He disclosed that some injured occupants had already been rescued from the collapsed structure and taken to a hospital in Oko for medical treatment.

“Some injured victims have been rescued from the debris and evacuated to a hospital in Oko, where they are currently receiving medical attention,” he added.

The police spokesperson urged members of the public to remain calm and avoid circulating unverified reports while rescue efforts continued.

He also appealed to residents to stay away from the disaster site to enable emergency personnel carry out their operations without obstruction.

Authorities have yet to establish the cause of the building collapse, and no official estimate has been given regarding the number of students or other residents who may have been inside the hostel when the structure gave way.

Emergency teams continued rescue operations on Monday, with hopes of reaching anyone still trapped beneath the rubble.

The incident has renewed concerns over the structural integrity of student accommodation in communities hosting tertiary institutions, with many calling for stricter enforcement of building standards to prevent similar tragedies.