The building reportedly collapsed onto a neighbouring bungalow, killing a woman and her youngest child, while authorities blame poor-quality materials and alleged construction violations.

A woman and her 14-year-old daughter have died after a three-storey building under construction collapsed onto their home in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The tragic incident occurred at about 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, trapping the mother and her daughter inside their apartment in a neighbouring bungalow.

Several other people were reportedly trapped beneath the rubble but were rescued by emergency responders and taken to hospital for treatment.

Building Collapse Triggers Panic

Eyewitnesses said the building began making loud noises shortly before it collapsed, with its walls reportedly cracking before the entire structure came crashing down.

The sudden collapse threw residents into panic as people rushed to help those trapped in the debris.

According to residents, the deceased woman was the landlady of the neighbouring bungalow, where she lived with her children.

Her son, identified as Chimobi, said three members of the family were inside the apartment when the building collapsed, but he was outside at the time.

He explained that his mother and sister were in a bedroom when the structure fell directly onto their home, leaving them with little or no chance of escaping.

Chimobi lamented that residents had repeatedly raised concerns about the safety of the building before the tragedy but their warnings were allegedly ignored.

Residents Allegedly Warned Builder

Residents claimed that the waterlogged nature of the land raised serious concerns about its suitability for a three-storey structure.

They alleged that the engineer who initially handled the project had advised the builder to limit the building to two floors because of the condition of the ground.

However, the recommendation was reportedly disregarded, with another engineer subsequently engaged to continue the project to three storeys.

Residents said they had joined the family in calling for construction work to be stopped, warning that the structure could pose a danger to nearby homes.

Their concerns have now been followed by a devastating loss of life.

Anambra Government Blames Substandard Materials

The Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, confirmed the incident on Thursday, describing it as unfortunate.

Ojukwu visited the scene alongside Noble Igwe, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Ogbaru One Constituency.

The commissioner attributed the collapse to alleged negligence and the use of substandard building materials. He also disclosed that the authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice against the structure.

According to him, the building was an illegal development that had been marked for demolition.

Ojukwu said the state government intended to forfeit the land and was investigating other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.

He maintained that the collapse was the result of poor-quality construction and disregard for building regulations, adding that the falling structure killed the woman and her child in the neighbouring bungalow.

Renewed Concerns Over Building Safety

The tragedy has once again raised concerns about building standards, regulatory enforcement and the safety of residents living close to construction sites.

Building collapses continue to claim lives in Nigeria, often leaving families devastated and communities questioning whether adequate safety measures are being enforced.

In September, one person was killed and two others were rescued after a two-storey building undergoing manual demolition collapsed in the Aboru area of Lagos State.

The incident occurred at No. 42, Governors Road, Aboru, in the Alimosho Local Government Area. The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said its Alpha Eagle Response Team was dispatched following a distress call.

The latest tragedy in Anambra has renewed calls for stricter monitoring of construction projects, prompt enforcement of stop-work orders and accountability for those responsible for unsafe buildings.

For the family in Okpoko, however, the consequences are already irreversible, as a mother and her young daughter have lost their lives in a disaster residents say they feared could happen.