Two Bodies Recovered from Collapsed Elite 5-Star Hostel in Anambra
Two bodies—a male and a female—have been recovered from the rubble of the collapsed Elite 5-Star Hostel in Amaokpala, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State.
According to a report monitored on the Anambra Broadcasting Service (ABS), the female victim was identified by her friends as Vivian Chinedu, a baker and a fresh graduate of the Department of Food Science and Technology at the Federal Polytechnic, Oko.
Her friends disclosed that she moved into the hostel in March 2026.
Recounting the moments leading to the collapse, some occupants of the building, who are students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, said there were clear warning signs before the tragedy.
One of the survivors, Grace Nweke, said that at about 10 p.m. on Sunday, a food vendor residing in the building alerted occupants through their WhatsApp group that cracks had appeared on the walls of the hostel.
She explained that before many residents could fully comprehend the gravity of the warning, they heard loud cracking sounds and immediately fled the building for safety.
Grace, who moved into the hostel in January 2026, said she had no idea the structure was unsafe until the incident occurred.
She further revealed that the occupants later learnt that previous tenants had allegedly been instructed to vacate the building because of its deteriorating condition.
However, the caretaker reportedly rented the premises to unsuspecting students.
Reacting to the incident, the Deputy Director of the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ndidi Omega, described the building collapse as unfortunate and avoidable.
She stressed the need for the relevant authorities to ensure that any building declared structurally unsafe or marked for demolition remains unoccupied in order to prevent avoidable loss of lives.
