Rescue operations have intensified at the site of the collapsed three-storey Elite Five Star Lodge in Amokpala, Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, with emergency responders recovering the body of a female victim believed to be a student.
Rescue officials also confirmed that the body of a young man, reportedly another student, has been located beneath the rubble but had yet to be retrieved as painstaking search efforts continue.
The building, which collapsed late Sunday night, was said to be occupied by several students and other residents at the time of the incident, raising fears that more victims could still be trapped.
A joint rescue team comprising the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), the Anambra State Fire Service, the Nigeria Police Force, other security agencies, and operatives of the Operation Udo Ga-Achi security outfit has remained at the scene.
Using heavy-duty excavators and other rescue equipment, emergency workers are carefully clearing the debris in a coordinated effort to locate survivors while ensuring the safety of rescue personnel.
Tension remained high at the scene as anxious residents, students and sympathisers watched the operation with growing concern. Security operatives have cordoned off the area to prevent interference and allow emergency teams unrestricted access to the collapsed structure.
Acting Executive Secretary of SEMA, Mrs. Ndidi Omega, confirmed the recovery of the female victim and disclosed that the body of the young man remains trapped beneath the rubble. She also revealed that three injured persons had earlier been rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.
Omega assured that rescue efforts would continue until every section of the debris had been thoroughly searched.
Meanwhile, the police appealed to residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information, and allow emergency responders to carry out their duties without obstruction, assuring that further updates would be provided as more details emerge.
