By Magnus Aluma, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the immediate evacuation of over 700 students from Pentagon Lodge, a private hostel near Alex Ekwueme Federal University in the Ikwo Local Government Area of the state, following a structural failure of the affected building.
The state commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development, Chief Sunday Inyima, disclosed this in a news conference in Abakaliki, the state capital, shortly after an inspection tour of the affected building complex.
According to the commissioner, “the Ministry responded swiftly after receiving a whistleblower alert on Friday about severe structural cracks in one of the six blocks of the lodge, each block containing 44 rooms.”
“What we saw was very terrible. One of the wings suffered what we classify as a building failure. Though it hasn’t collapsed completely, it’s showing alarming signs of structural compromise,” Inyima stated.
The commissioner confirmed that students had previously complained about visible cracks, but their concerns were ignored until the situation deteriorated. To avert potential tragedy, the state government, in collaboration with the local government chairman, the university authorities, and the Ebonyi Ministries of Housing, Internal Security, and Human Capital Development, ordered the immediate relocation of all occupants.
Inyima, in the company of some top government officials and representatives by of professional regulatory bodies, including COREN, CORBON, and TOPREC, visited the site for a full assessment, and directed that no student should remain in the building.
“The adjacent building is already tilting. We cannot wait for a collapse before taking action,” he added.
The Commissioner noted that students’ belongings still trapped in the compromised building would be recovered after a government-supervised integrity test, which would begin on Monday. A panel of investigation will also be inaugurated to determine the cause of the failure and recommend appropriate actions.
Inyima further revealed that other unsafe hostels in the area have been identified and are being inspected, following multiple alerts from concerned members of the public. He assured residents that Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru’s administration will enforce strict compliance with building safety standards and prosecute any individuals or developers found responsible for substandard constructions.
“We will not compromise on safety. Any structure found to be unsafe will be sealed, and those behind it will be held accountable,” he emphasised.
NewsBits reports that the university management has provided two temporary accommodations for the displaced students, while many were seen relocating to alternative private residences. At the time of this report, no casualties have been recorded.
