Rivers State Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the immediate closure of the site of the five-storey building that collapsed in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, killing one person and leaving several others injured.
The governor, who visited the scene on Thursday to assess the extent of the disaster, said the site would remain completely sealed pending a comprehensive investigation to determine the cause of the collapse and identify those responsible.
Fubara described the incident as both tragic and avoidable, disclosing that preliminary findings indicated that the developer had repeatedly resisted attempts by state officials to inspect the project and enforce compliance with established building regulations.
The governor explained that he delayed his visit until he had received an official briefing from the relevant authorities. According to him, the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development informed him that the project site fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority and that state officials had on several occasions sought access to inspect the development but were rebuffed by the developer.
“We are here to see for ourselves this very unfortunate incident. I did not come yesterday because I wanted to first receive a detailed report. The commissioner informed me that despite several attempts to inspect the site and assess the level of compliance, the developer consistently maintained that the state government had no authority to interfere,” he said.
The governor stressed that the issue was no longer about jurisdictional disputes but about the loss of human life and the suffering inflicted on victims and their families.
He expressed condolences to the family of the deceased and sympathised with those injured in the incident, insisting that modern engineering standards and technological advancements should have made such a disaster impossible.
“We feel very sorry and deeply regret that such an incident should occur in this 21st century. Technology has advanced and engineering has developed tremendously. One wonders what kind of engineer would allow a project that was faulty from inception to continue,” Fubara stated.
He vowed that no further activity would be permitted at the site until government investigators unravel the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
“I think that at this point, nothing is going to happen on this site anymore. We are going to ensure that this place is completely sealed off until we get to the root cause of this incident,” the governor added.
Accompanied by the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Sir Amairigha Edward Hart, and the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Special Duties, Dabite Sokari George, the governor’s visit underscored growing concerns over the enforcement of building regulations in Rivers State.
Building collapses have remained a recurring challenge in Nigeria, often linked to structural defects, substandard materials, poor supervision and non-compliance with approved building standards. Experts have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of regulations and greater accountability among developers to curb the persistent loss of lives and property arising from such disasters.
