A four-storey building under construction and reportedly being developed as a hotel collapsed in Enugu City at about 8:00 a.m. on Sunday, leaving six people feared trapped beneath the rubble.
The victims were said to be construction workers who had been residing in the uncompleted building when it suddenly collapsed, triggering panic among residents and passersby.
Eyewitnesses said the loud noise from the collapse attracted hundreds of people to the scene, with residents joining emergency responders in frantic efforts to rescue those trapped beneath the debris.
The heavy rubble covering much of the site, however, made the rescue operation difficult.
The cause of the collapse had yet to be officially established as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has, however, renewed concerns over building supervision, regulatory enforcement, the activities of unqualified practitioners in the construction industry and the failure to hold those responsible for structural failures accountable.
Building collapses remain a recurring tragedy in Nigeria, with professionals often attributing such incidents to poor enforcement of building regulations, the use of substandard materials, defective construction practices and inadequate professional oversight.
Rescue operations were still ongoing as of press time, while authorities had yet to confirm any fatalities or issue an official statement on the incident.