Several University of Benin (UNIBEN) students were trapped on Saturday morning after a three-storey building collapsed in the Ekosodin area of Benin City, Edo State.
The building, located on Ekhator Street, came down during heavy rainfall, with many students believed to be inside at the time of the incident.
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Ekosodin, which is adjacent to the university, is known for housing a large population of students.
Rescue operations are currently underway, with reports indicating that some of the trapped students have already been pulled from the rubble, though others are still unaccounted for.
A witness at the scene revealed that the University’s Dean of Student Affairs is overseeing the rescue efforts, working in coordination with a university rescue team.
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Several of the rescued students sustained severe injuries and have been rushed to the hospital for treatment.
One student on the scene told Channels Television that the rescue team is still trying to free at least one more victim who is believed to be alive under the debris.
“She called from inside, and the team is working tirelessly to find and rescue her,” the student reported.
As at the time of this report, the University of Benin has not issued an official statement regarding the cause of the collapse or the total number of students affected by the disaster. Search and rescue efforts are ongoing.
