Tragedy struck Okpoko in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State as a mother and her 14-year-old daughter were crushed to death when a three-storey building under construction collapsed on them.
The victims were identified as Mrs Happiness Ugoagu and her daughter, Chikaima. The incident reportedly occurred around 9:45 p.m. in the Anata Anaba area of Okpoko while they were asleep in their bedroom.
The collapse has sparked allegations that warnings about the safety of the building were ignored before the tragedy.
Residents who spoke to a state radio station alleged that the land was waterlogged and that an engineer initially engaged for the project had advised that the building should not exceed two storeys because of the condition of the ground.
They claimed that the advice was disregarded and another engineer was brought in to continue construction up to three storeys.
Chimobi Ugoagu, son of the deceased woman and brother of the teenage victim, said three members of the family were inside the apartment when the building collapsed.
He explained that he was outside while his siblings were in the sitting room, but his mother and sister were in the bedroom directly beneath the section of the structure that collapsed.
Chimobi alleged that he had personally warned the builder about the danger and joined other residents in calling for the construction to be stopped, but their appeals were ignored.
Commissioner Orders Demolition
The Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, who visited the scene, described the incident as unfortunate.
Ojukwu alleged that substandard materials had been used in the construction and disclosed that a stop-work notice had previously been issued on the building.
He described the structure as illegal and ordered its demolition.
The commissioner also directed the demolition of other unapproved buildings under construction in the area as the state government moved to address concerns over building safety and compliance with planning regulations.
The deaths of the mother and daughter have renewed concerns about alleged disregard for professional advice, construction standards and official directives in building projects.
