The Akwa Ibom State Government will sanction those responsible for the collapse of a four-storey building in Uyo on Saturday, Governor Udom Emmanuel has said.
It is not yet clear how many people lost their lives in the incident.
The Commissioner for Information in the state, Ini Ememobong, disclosed this in a statement on Sunday in Uyo.
The building, which was supposed to be a six-storey building, collapsed, while contractors were on the fourth floor.
When the Fire Service arrived at the scene, the rescue operation was delayed for some minutes because of the unavailability of an excavator.
Four people were later rescued on Saturday from the rubble, with the technical support of a construction company, Julius Berger, and one other company, according to a government official.
“The Governor has directed the Commissioner for Works and Fire Service to immediately set up a Panel of Inquiry to investigate the unfortunate incident,” Mr Ememobong said in the statement.
“The panel is to conclude its work within one month, and if it is found that the collapse of the building was as a result of any acts of negligence or wrongdoing, those responsible will face the full wrath of the law.”
Governor Emmanuel also directed the government, through the health commissioner, to take over the “management of the survivors.”
Mr Emmanuel condoled the families who lost their loved ones in the incident and wished the survivors a quick recovery.
He thanked the first responders, the rescuers, and the security agencies for the rescue operation.
Inferior materials may have contributed to the building collapse, those who visited the scene of the incident said.
Many people were killed in Uyo in 2016 when a church building collapsed in Uyo.
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