A tragic scene unfolded in the Idumoza community of Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area of Edo State, as a hotel building under construction collapsed, claiming the life of its owner, Mr. Andrew Isesere.
The incident, which occurred on Friday, sent shockwaves through the community.
Isesere was reportedly inside the structure when it crumbled.
His lifeless body was recovered from the rubble on Sunday morning.
Over 20 construction workers who were also on site narrowly escaped with their lives.
Eyewitnesses and neighbours alleged that the collapse was the direct result of poor construction practices and the use of substandard materials.
According to them, warnings had been issued to the late owner during construction, but were ignored.
One resident, Mr. Andrew Inegbebor, recounted the safety concerns raised: “He used 12mm rods instead of the recommended 16mm for the pillars, and there was no base basket.
Worse still, there was no structural engineer supervising the project. He handled it all by himself—and now, it has cost him his life.”
The allegations paint a grim picture of negligence and disregard for basic engineering standards, raising concerns about enforcement of building codes and the increasing trend of self-supervised constructions in the state.
When contacted, the spokesman of the Edo State Police Command, Moses Yamu, said he had not yet been briefed on the incident.
The tragic death of Andrew Isesere has sparked renewed calls for stricter oversight of building projects, especially in rural and semi-urban communities where regulatory enforcement is often weak or absent.
