Just in: Oko Polytechnic students trapped as three-storey hostel collapses

By Tolulope Oke

Emergency responders were on Monday racing to rescue students trapped beneath the rubble of a three-storey hostel near the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, Anambra State.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, collapsed at about 11pm on Sunday in the Amokpala area of Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area.

The privately operated lodge was reportedly occupied mainly by students of the polytechnic.

Some students reportedly escaped shortly before the building came down, while rescuers pulled out several injured occupants and rushed them to a hospital in Oko.

Others were still believed to be trapped beneath the debris as rescue operations continued on Monday.

Videos circulating on social media showed the collapsed structure surrounded by residents, students, security personnel and emergency workers searching through the rubble.

An eyewitness said residents rushed to the scene after hearing a loud noise from the building.

“The occupants inside started shouting for help as the building fell,” the witness said.

The Anambra State Police Command confirmed the incident, saying a police-led joint security team had secured the area and was coordinating rescue operations.

Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said personnel of the Anambra State Fire Service, the State Emergency Management Agency and other emergency agencies were also at the scene.

No death had been confirmed as of the time of filing this report, while authorities had yet to establish the number of people inside the hostel when it collapsed.

The polytechnic was reportedly not in full academic session at the time of the incident.

The cause of the collapse was also not immediately known.

Police urged residents to stay away from the affected area to allow emergency workers to carry out rescue operations without obstruction.

More details later.