A major tragedy struck the Oko community in Anambra State after a three-storey students’ hostel collapsed late Sunday night, leaving an unknown number of people feared dead and several others trapped beneath the wreckage.

The affected building, identified as Elite Five Star Lodge, is located near Tonimas Filling Station in the Amokpala area behind the Federal Polytechnic, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area.

The cause of the collapse has not yet been established, while emergency rescue efforts continued on Monday as authorities searched for more victims.

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Personnel from the Anambra State Police Command, the Anambra State Fire Service, the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), alongside volunteers and other security agencies, have been working tirelessly to remove debris and rescue occupants believed to be trapped.

Several victims have been rescued alive and transported to a hospital in Oko for treatment. Bodies recovered from the scene have been taken to a mortuary, although officials say the exact number of deaths and injuries is yet to be confirmed.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said police officers responded immediately after receiving a distress call regarding the collapse.

He explained that a joint security team quickly secured the area to prevent further danger while coordinating rescue operations with relevant emergency agencies.

According to the police spokesperson, rescue operations remain ongoing, making it impossible at this stage to determine the total number of casualties or those affected.
He also confirmed that rescued victims are receiving medical care at a hospital in Oko.

The police have appealed to members of the public to remain calm, avoid circulating unverified information, and keep away from the scene to allow rescue workers unrestricted access.

Authorities are expected to release more details as rescue operations continue and investigations into the cause of the building collapse commence.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has appointed Dr. Wasiu Olanrewaju-Smart as the new Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives), reinforcing his administration’s legislative engagement strategy.

The appointment, which takes immediate effect, follows the resignation of Hon. Ibrahim Olanrewaju, who stepped down from the position to pursue an elective office in his home state.

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The announcement was made in a statement issued by the President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga.

According to the Presidency, Dr. Olanrewaju-Smart brings a wealth of experience in public policy, governance and legislative affairs to the role.

President Tinubu expressed confidence that the new adviser would strengthen collaboration between the Presidency, Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), and the House of Representatives.

Olanrewaju-Smart holds a PhD in Educational Management from Lead City University and a Master’s degree in Public Administration from Harvard University.

He is also an Edward Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School.
The 40-year-old policy expert was also a LEAPS Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

In addition, he earned a Professional Diploma in Public Relations from the London School of Public Relations and served as a Policy Fellow at Quantum Alliance AI, USA, where he focused on artificial intelligence and civic technology.

His career in the National Assembly spans several strategic positions.

He served as Research and Media Assistant to the Minority and Majority Leaders of the House of Representatives during the 7th and 8th Assemblies before rising to become Special Adviser, Deputy Chief of Staff, and later Chief of Staff to the Speaker during the 9th and 10th Assemblies.

In October 2023, Olanrewaju-Smart joined the Presidency as Senior Special Assistant to the President on Intergovernmental Affairs, a position he held until his latest appointment.

His public policy portfolio includes contributions to several landmark legislations, including the Interest-Free Student Loan Act, among other reforms.

The Presidency stated that the appointment takes immediate effect, adding that President Tinubu is confident Olanrewaju-Smart will deploy his experience, intellect and commitment to strengthen legislative coordination and relations between the Presidency, MDAs and the House of Representatives.

Suspected bandits have abducted a serving High Court judge, Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza, during a midnight attack on his residence in Bunza Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday along Zogirma Road, where the gunmen reportedly stormed the judge’s home shortly after he returned from Sokoto State.

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Sources familiar with the incident said the attackers fired several gunshots into the air to create panic before whisking the judge away.

No member of his household was injured during the operation.

Confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Kebbi State Police Command, SP Bashir Usman, said the judge was taken from his residence around midnight.

“I can confirm that Hon. Justice Faruku Hassan Bunza was abducted from his residence in Bunza around midnight,” the police spokesman said.

According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Muhammad Hadejia, immediately ordered the deployment of tactical and intelligence teams to begin an intensive search for the abducted judge.

“As we speak, our personnel are combing identified locations, including forest areas, to ensure that the judge is rescued alive and unharmed,” Usman added.

A senior official of the Kebbi State High Court, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, described the incident as a tragic development for the judiciary.

“Though I’m not authorized to speak formally to the press, this is a painful moment for us. To hear that one of our judges was abducted at his residence is very disturbing,” the official said.

The official also disclosed that the management of the Kebbi State High Court has already met with heads of security agencies in the state to coordinate efforts aimed at securing the judge’s immediate release.

The kidnapping has heightened concerns over the security situation in parts of northern Nigeria, where attacks by armed groups and kidnappings for ransom continue to pose significant challenges despite ongoing security operations.

Authorities have assured the public that efforts are ongoing to rescue Justice Bunza safely and bring those responsible for the abduction to justice.