The University of Benin (UNIBEN) has confirmed that no lives were lost in the building collapse that occurred early Saturday morning in the Ekosodin area.
According to the university’s Public Relations Officer, Benedicta Ehanire, three students who were trapped in the collapsed structure have been rescued and are currently recovering in the hospital.
In a statement shared with PUNCH Online, Ehanire reported that the rescue operations are ongoing, with some students having been successfully saved while the search for others continues.
“The University of Benin management confirms that the three students rescued from the collapsed storey building in Ekosodin are in stable condition at the hospital,” the statement read.
Reports indicate that the collapse occurred due to a heavy downpour that began on Friday afternoon. Fortunately, no fatalities have been reported.
The rescue team, which included personnel from the Security and Fire Service departments, the Health Centre, students, and the Police, initially transported the rescued students to the institution’s Health Centre. Two of them were later transferred to the University of Benin Teaching Hospital.
The university management expressed its well-wishes for the speedy recovery of the affected students and praised the rescue team for their dedication.
Earlier on Saturday, the student community in Ekosodin, a neighborhood adjacent to the university, experienced significant distress when a storey building on Ekhator Street collapsed during the early morning rainfall. This area, home to many students who cannot secure on-campus housing, saw a swift response from the university and emergency services.
A student at the scene, who chose to remain anonymous, reported that the university’s rescue team was able to extract several trapped occupants, although some sustained severe injuries. The injured were promptly taken to the hospital for treatment.
“The rescue team is still searching for one individual who remains trapped inside the rubble,” the student said. “Efforts to locate and rescue her and others who are still trapped are ongoing.”
The Dean of Students from UNIBEN was reportedly on the scene, overseeing the rescue efforts alongside the university’s team.
State Fire Service official Sylvester confirmed that three fire trucks were deployed to assist with the rescue operations.
“The fire service is actively involved in the rescue mission,” he stated.
Edo State Police Command spokesperson Moses Yamu confirmed the incident and mentioned that rescue operations are still underway. He assured that further details, including any potential casualties, would be provided once the operations are complete.
