Breaking: Student Hostel Near Oko Polytechnic Reduced To Rubble, Lives Feared Lost

A three-storey private student hostel near the Federal Polytechnic Oko in Anambra State collapsed on Sunday night, trapping an unknown number of occupants beneath the rubble.

The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, is located at Amokpala in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area, close to Tonimas Filling Station.

Emergency responders were immediately mobilised to the scene following the incident, with rescue efforts launched to locate and evacuate victims trapped inside the collapsed structure.

Personnel from the Anambra State Police Command, the Anambra State Fire Service, the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and other emergency and security agencies are participating in the operation.

Several injured victims have already been rescued and taken to a hospital in Oko for treatment, while search-and-rescue teams continue to comb through the debris amid reports that voices can still be heard from beneath the wreckage.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said a police-led joint emergency response team swiftly secured the area and coordinated rescue activities to ensure an effective operation.

Ikenga appealed to residents to remain calm, avoid circulating unverified information, and stay away from the disaster site to allow emergency personnel unrestricted access.

He assured the public that the police would continue to provide verified updates as rescue operations progress.

As of the time of filing this report, authorities had not confirmed the number of people trapped, injured or killed, while rescue efforts remained ongoing.