UPDATE: GOVERNOR UDOM EMMANUEL CHEATS DEATH FOLLOWING COLLAPSE OF MEGA CHURCH IN UYO

As we earlier informed you,  tragedy struck this morning on Saturday 10th December 2016, as Reigners Bible Church, located along Uyo Village Road, collapsed, turning the entire structure to rubble.  It was filled to capacity as its head pastor,  Akan Week was being consecrated as a Bishop.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State,  Udom Emmanuel was a special guest at the occasion and narrowly escaped the inscident. He however, was seen at the scene,  rendering support to speed up the rescue operation in the best way possible.

Nearly a hundred people have been confirmed dead, with some corpses found in pieces, exposing vital organs; some crushed under heavy metals; others intact, but with deep gashes etc. Rescue operations are still ongoing at the scene and the death toll is expected to hit 150 by the end considering the multitude present at the ceremony and the severity of the incident.

CHURCH COLLAPSES AT UYO: GOVERNOR UDOM AND SEVERAL OTHERS FEARED DEAD

Tragedy struck this morning as Reigners Bible Church, located along Uyo Village Road, collapsed, turning the entire structure to rubble.  It was filled to capacity as its head pastor,  Akan Week was being consecrated as a Bishop.


“Pastor Akan Week was being consecrated today so the programme was holding inside the Church when suddenly, the whole building collapsed,” one witness said.

Accordingly to further eye witness accounts, the church was being renovated and expanded due to the large number of guests that were expected to attend the ceremony.

“Many people are buried under the debris as emergency workers continue rescue exercise,” he added.

The Governor of Akwa Ibom State,  Udom Emmanuel was expected to attend the occasion, but, sources said he was not at the church when it collapsed.
“The governor has gone to the scene and is presently there helping with the rescue,” a witness said.

Uduakobong Williams, a student of University of Uyo who resides near the church,  claimed to have seen vans carrying several bodies from the scene and other sources have confirmed that indeed, many victims have been taken to various hospitals and mortuaries in the town.

A source at Premier Hospital, said many of the injured were taken there and were receiving medical attention.

When a police spokesperson was contacted, about the incident,  she sounded quite emotional, saying, “You need to be here to witness it, there is so much confusion,”

Further investigation and rescue in ongoing at the scene and the number of casualties are yet to be ascertained.