Survivor recounts jump from second floor during hostel collapse

Survivors of the three-storey student hostel that fell down near the Federal Polytechnic in Oko, Anambra State, have shared their terrifying experiences. They said they had no idea the building would collapse until they heard loud cracks on Sunday night.

The hostel, called Elite Five Star Lodge, had 100 rooms and was located in Amaokpala. It collapsed late on Sunday, trapping many people under the debris for hours before help arrived.

On Monday, two people, a man and a woman, reportedly died during rescue efforts. Three others were rescued and taken to a nearby hospital for medical care.

However, when our reporter visited the site on Tuesday, there were no rescue operations happening. This was despite the National Emergency Management Agency saying on Monday that the rescue would continue.

Chinyere, a 27-year-old survivor, spoke from her hospital bed in Oko. She said she lived on the second floor and had moved into the hostel in March without seeing any signs of danger. She jumped from the second floor as parts of the building fell down.

"There was no sign that this would happen until that night. Suddenly, we heard loud cracking sounds from the walls, followed by people shouting for help. Neighbours rushed in to assist us," she said.

Chinyere continued, "I occupied the last room on the second floor. When the walls started cracking, I ran out, leaving all my belongings behind. I rushed to the balcony as the sounds became louder. I remember jumping from the second floor, but I don’t know how I landed. The next thing I knew, I was in the hospital."

Another survivor, Grace Nweke, a student at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, said there were signs before the collapse. She explained that around 10 p.m. on Sunday, a food vendor in the building sent a message in their WhatsApp group about cracks appearing in the walls.

"Before many of us could understand how serious the warning was, we heard loud cracking sounds and immediately fled for safety," she said.

Nweke moved into the hostel in January 2026. She was unaware that the building was unsafe. "We later learnt that previous occupants had allegedly been asked by the owner to leave because it was unsafe. But the caretaker rented it out to unsuspecting students," she added.

Joseph Udo, another occupant, said he was lucky to escape because he was visiting friends when the hostel fell. He got a call around 10 p.m. about the collapse and rushed back to see the building reduced to rubble.

"My generator and other valuables were buried in the rubble," he said sadly. He mentioned that two bodies, a man and a woman, were found in the debris the next morning.

"The lady was preparing for her wedding next month. People who knew her said she graduated from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, last year," Udo said.

Ndidi Omega, the Deputy Director of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency, called the event tragic and avoidable. She revealed that the building had been marked for demolition.

She warned that buildings declared unsafe should not be occupied. She said failing to enforce demolition orders could lead to more disasters.

The Anambra State Government has announced new rules to improve building safety. They will now prosecute public officials and engineers who are careless in cases of building failures.

In a statement from the Commissioner for Information and Value Reformation, Dr Law Mefor, the government said that approval officers and building engineers would be held accountable for any building collapses due to negligence.

According to Mefor, this decision was made during a State Executive Council meeting led by Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Monday.

"The council approved the prosecution of officers and engineers for professional misconduct according to the law. It also directed that integrity tests be done on mass housing facilities, including student hostels, to prevent disasters from structural failures."

The statement added that this move aims to strengthen compliance with building regulations and ensure that public and private buildings meet safety standards.