By Victor Nwegede.
The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the immediate evacuation of more than "700 students from Pentagon Lodge," a private hostel near Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), following a disturbing case of structural failure that sparked fears of imminent collapse.
The State Governor Francis Nwifuru, in a press statement issued and made available to journalists by his Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor on Saturday, described the development as “disheartening” and ordered a full-scale investigation into the circumstances leading to the failure of the six-block hostel complex.
“It is disheartening to learn about building collapse in this era when we have skilled manpower and well-established professional standards,” the Governor lamented.
He attributed the incident to poor construction practices and non-compliance with building regulations.
While reiterating his administration’s commitment to public safety, Governor Nwifuru directed the Ministry of Capital City Development to ensure that no building project proceeds without full regulatory approvals.
He also called on professional bodies such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to intensify oversight to prevent future occurrences.
“The lives of our people are precious and cannot be compromised under any guise,” the governor warned, adding that anyone found culpable after the investigation would face the full weight of the law.
The governor reaffirmed that the safety of citizens remains a top priority of his administration, urging all stakeholders to uphold professional standards in construction to avoid future disasters.
Meanwhile, the State Commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development, Chief Sunday Elechi Inyima, who led an inspection team to the site, confirmed that one wing of the hostel showed “alarming signs of structural compromise,” prompting the urgent evacuation order.
“What we saw was very terrible..Though it hasn't collapsed, one of the wings has suffered a clear case of building failure. We acted immediately to prevent a tragedy," he said.
Inyima disclosed that students had earlier reported visible cracks in the structure, but their warnings were ignored.
He confirmed that the Ministry received a whistleblower alert on Friday, July 25 which prompted immediate response and assessment.
The evacuation, coordinated in collaboration with the university management, the local government chairman, and the Ministries of Housing, Internal Security, and Human Capital Development, was concluded by noon on Saturday, July 26.
“We cannot wait for a collapse before taking action,” he stressed, revealing that an adjacent block was already tilting.
The Commissioner said two alternative accommodations had been provided by the university, while other students made private relocation arrangements. No injuries or casualties have been reported.
According to him, a technical panel would be inaugurated on Monday to conduct a government-supervised integrity test and begin investigations into the structural defects. Student belongings still inside the affected building will be retrieved under official supervision.
Representatives of professional regulatory bodies including COREN, CORBON, and TOPREC joined the inspection, and other buildings flagged as unsafe in the area are also under review.
“We are inspecting all hostels in the vicinity. Any structure found to be unsafe will be sealed, and developers or landlords responsible will be prosecuted,” Inyima vowed.
