Government agencies seem to be
playing hide-and-seek game on the actual number of people killed or injured when
a church building collapsed, Saturday afternoon in Uyo, Akwa Ibom state, south-south
Nigeria.
The media
reported Sunday that that about 100 people on the average died in the disaster,
while scores were critically injured. The media figures range from 50-200 dead
casualties.
But, the
National Emergency
Management Agency (NEMA) Sunday afternoon said that only six persons were
killed and 115 others injured in Saturday’s church collapse in Uyo, Akwa Ibom
state.
Sani
Datti, head, media & public relations for
the emergency rescue agency said in an updated statement issued in Abuja that
“conducting a 360 degree search at the scene -both in and outside the church –
about 115 persons were injured”
His words: “No one is
currently left under the rubble as those affected had since been evacuated.”
Independent recalls that Udom Emmanuel,
governor of Akwa Ibom state escaped death by the whiskers when The Reigners
Bible Church building, located at Km 1, Uyo, collapsed Saturday morning.
The tragedy occurred during the
consecration of Pastor Akan Weeks as Bishop of the church, where the media
Sunday various figures on the number of persons either killed or injured by the
collapse.
Few hours after NEMA released its report, Murtala Mani, Akwa Ibom
state police commissioner said 27 people died and 37 others injured when the
uncompleted Reigners Bible Church collapsed on Saturday in Uyo.
Vicnuel notes that this was the
first official figure to be released about the tragedy and debunked
speculations that as many as 60 or 120 died in the incident.
Mani
told the News Agency of Nigeria Sunday that the casualty figures were collated
at the end of evacuation exercise late Saturday.
His
words: “For now, we can confirm that 27 persons died during the church building
collapse on Saturday”.
“We
have concluded rescue operation but we are monitoring the situation to see what
happens further,” Mani said.
The
victims evacuated from the collapsed church along Uyo Village Road near
Government House,were receiving treatment at the University of Uyo Teaching
Hospital, St Lukes Hospital, Ibom Specialist Hospital and Lifecare Hospital.
The
state Chairman of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Aniekeme Uwah, said that
22 bodies were deposited at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.
Uwah,
who could not confirm the total number of deaths in other hospitals, said that
he had mobilized all medical practitioners in the state to be part of the
rescue operations.
He said
that it was not possible to identify the number of government officials and
clergymen involved in the casualties because the focus of rescue operation was
on saving lives.
Governor
Udom Emmanuel had declared a two-day mourning in a broadcast to the people on
Sunday following the unfortunate incident.
The
two-day mourning began Sunday and would end Monday with flags flown at
half-staff in all government establishments across the state.
Emmanuel
also declared a solemn assembly on Tuesday afternoon at the end of the mourning
at Government House to pray for the victims of the incident.
The
governor on Saturday narrowly escaped unhurt as the church collapsed while he
was there.
The
governor was the special guest of honour at the bishopric consecration service
of the founder of the Reigners Bible church, Apostle Akan Weeks.
A visit
to the church on Sunday showed that people were still thronging the scene of
the collapsed church to catch a glimpse of what happened on Saturday though the
premises were locked.
Security
operatives were also seen in large number at the premises to prevent possible
riot from the aggrieved persons, who lost their dear ones.
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