A three-storey student hostel has collapsed in Oko, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, leaving one student missing and three injured.
The building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, is located beside Tonimas Filling Station along the Amaokpala Old Road, in Oko, approximately 4.1 kilometres from the Federal Polytechnic, Oko. The collapse occurred at about 11:10 p.m. on Sunday, 26 July 2026.
A student who spoke to Radio Now said occupants heard loud cracking sounds from the building shortly before it collapsed, prompting many residents to flee. Some were able to retrieve a few of their belongings before the structure gave way.
The student said the lodge accommodates students of the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, including freshers, returning students and final-year students, as well as a few commercial motorcyclists who lived on the premises.
According to the student, three people were rescued from the rubble on Sunday night and taken to Ekwulobia General Hospital for treatment, while one female occupant remains missing.
In a statement, the Anambra State Police Command said a joint security team was mobilised immediately after receiving a distress call and began rescue operations at the scene.
Police spokesperson SP Tochukwu Ikenga said officers secured the area and coordinated rescue efforts in collaboration with other security agencies.
He said the Anambra State Fire Service and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA) also joined the operation.
The police said rescue efforts were continuing and that the number of casualties or people affected could not yet be confirmed. They added that some injured victims had been rescued and taken to a hospital in Oko for medical treatment.
The command urged residents to remain calm, avoid spreading unverified information and stay away from the scene to allow emergency responders unrestricted access.
The student also told Radio Now that police officers arrived at the scene about 20 minutes after the collapse, while the excavator used in the rescue operation was provided by the company handling the ongoing expansion of the Amaokpala–Oko Old Road.
The student also said the hostel is located close to the road expansion project, which has led to the demolition of several buildings in the area. Although Elite Five Star Lodge was not among the structures marked for demolition, authorities have not established the cause of the collapse.
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