Building Collapse: 20 Injured in Bayelsa

 PM news reports that  at least 20 persons were injured on Monday when an uncompleted church building collapsed during a heavy downpour in Agudama-Epie near Yenagoa, an eyewitness identified as Tonye Beregha, told journalists  that the building belonged to the National Apostolic Church of Nigeria. 

The victims were people seeking shelter from the heavy rain. “We heard a loud sound which we thought was that of thunder. But it was the uncompleted building that collapsed, trapping many people under the rubbles,” he said. 

Tonye also claimed that the roofs of many buildings in the state capital as well as some street lights on Sani Abacha expressway, were grossly affected in the downpour which also caused heavy traffic gridlock in the area. 

The building collapsed at about 10:30 a.m. The Deputy Governor of the State, John Jonah, the Commissioner of Police, Hillary Okpara and a rescue team from Julius Berger, have visited the scene.

Sympathisers rescued the trapped victims before their delayed arrival. PM news also reported that the State Commissioner for Works, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, said the state government would reprimand the founder of the church over the incident. He attributed poor supervision of buildings in the state to shortage of manpower in the Capital City Development Authority (CCDA).

 Ewhrudjakpo said Governor Seriake Dickson had approved the recruitment of more than 100 persons by CCDA.