The Ebonyi State Government has ordered the immediate evacuation and relocation of over 700 students following the collapse of Pentagon Lodge, a privately owned student hostel located near Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike Ikwo (AE-FUNAI).
Governor Francis Ogbonna Nwifuru gave the directive on Saturday, expressing deep concern over the incident and the potential risk it posed to student lives.
In a statement released by his Chief Press Secretary, Monday Uzor, the governor emphasized the urgency of the evacuation to prevent casualties.
“It is disheartening to learn about building collapse in this era when we have skilled manpower and well-established professional standards,” Governor Nwifuru said.
The governor ordered a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances surrounding the failure of the six-block structure.
He also directed the Ministry of Capital City Development to enforce strict compliance with building regulations and ensure no further construction takes place without proper approvals.
He attributed the disaster to poor construction practices and regulatory lapses, and called on professional organizations such as the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE) and the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB) to strengthen oversight roles to avoid similar incidents in the future.
Reiterating his administration’s commitment to citizen safety, Nwifuru stated that all stakeholders must uphold professional and safety standards in construction work across the state.
During an on-site inspection, the State Commissioner for Capital City and Urban Development, Chief Sunday Elechi Inyima, confirmed the seriousness of the situation.
He said one of the hostel’s wings showed clear signs of structural failure, triggering the urgent evacuation decision.
“What we saw was very terrible. Though it hasn’t collapsed, one of the wings has suffered a clear case of building failure. We acted immediately to prevent a tragedy,” Inyima said.
He disclosed that some students had previously reported noticeable cracks in the building, but their concerns had gone unheeded.
He further revealed that the ministry received a whistleblower report about the structure on Friday, July 25, which led to an immediate assessment.
“We cannot wait for a collapse before taking action,” he added, warning that an adjacent building was already showing signs of tilting.
The evacuation process was completed by noon on Saturday, July 26, through a coordinated effort involving university officials, the local government council, and the Ministries of Housing, Internal Security, and Human Capital Development.
Fortunately, no injuries or fatalities were reported.
According to Inyima, the university had already arranged two alternative accommodation options for displaced students, while others made personal arrangements.
A technical panel will be inaugurated on Monday to conduct a government-supervised integrity test on the affected building and begin a full investigation. Student belongings remaining inside the structure will be retrieved under official supervision.
Regulatory bodies, including the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), the Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria (CORBON), and the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC), were part of the inspection team. Several nearby hostels have also been flagged for further inspection.
“We are inspecting all hostels in the vicinity. Any structure found to be unsafe will be sealed, and developers or landlords responsible will be prosecuted,” Inyima vowed.
