A two-storey residential building has collapsed in Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State, with no death reported.
The building collapsed on Sunday at Inyaba-Umudim, Nnewi, prompting an assessment by officials of the state government.
The state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, confirmed the incident during his visit to the scene on Monday.
Ojukwu described the incident as unfortunate but expressed relief that no fatality had been recorded.
The commissioner said preliminary findings indicated that the collapsed building was poorly constructed and erected without the required approval from the ministry.
According to him, the structure was built by a developer on the perimeter wall of an existing three-storey building.
Ojukwu said the government had issued a notice to occupants of the nearby three-storey building to vacate the structure as a precautionary measure.
Ojukwu said the three-storey building, as well as other structures within the neighbourhood, would undergo mandatory integrity tests to determine their structural safety.
He explained that any building found to be unsafe would be demolished to prevent further danger to residents.
“We will evacuate all the occupants of the three-storey building, which shares the same compound with the collapsed building,” he said.
The commissioner added that authorities were still working to establish whether anyone was injured or otherwise affected by the collapse.
Ojukwu announced that the state government would commence a statewide demolition exercise targeting buildings that violate existing physical planning regulations.
He said the exercise would focus on structures built on the perimeter fences of existing buildings, buildings that fail to meet required setback standards, and structures erected without the necessary government approval.
The commissioner urged property developers and building owners across the state to comply with planning regulations and secure all required approvals before commencing construction.
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