Mirian Gom 
ANAMBRA, Nigeria – A mother 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, in an incident that has raised fresh concerns about building safety and alleged disregard for warnings.
The victims were identified as Happiness Ugoagu and her daughter, Chikaima. The collapse reportedly occurred at about 9.45pm at Anata Anaba, Okpoko, while the two were asleep in their bedroom.
The woman’s son, Chimobi Ugoagu, said he was outside the house when the building collapsed, while his siblings were in the sitting room.
He alleged that residents had previously warned the builder about the danger posed by the structure, but their concerns were ignored.
According to Chimobi, an engineer had also advised that the building should not exceed two storeys because the land was waterlogged.
The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Chijioke Ojukwu, visited the scene and described the incident as unfortunate. Ojukwu alleged that substandard materials had been used in the construction and said authorities had previously issued a stop-work notice against the building, which he described as illegal.
He ordered the demolition of the structure and other unapproved buildings under construction in the area.
The circumstances surrounding the collapse, including the reported warnings, the condition of the building and the alleged use of substandard materials, require thorough investigation by the relevant authorities.
The Chairman of Ogbaru Local Government Area, Nnamdi Ifejika, expressed sadness over the deaths and extended his condolences to the bereaved family. “This is a very painful and heartbreaking moment for us as a people. We cannot begin to imagine the pain of losing a mother and her daughter in such a tragic circumstance,” Ifejika said.
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