… As Eyewitness Account Records 50 Dead, Many Injured

Governor Udom Emmanuel and other dignitaries, who were attending the Consecration Ceremony of Bishop Akan Weeks, founder and General Overseer of Reigners Bible Church, cheated death by the whiskers as the foundation of the building collapsed.

Report reaching Ibom Telegraph news desk confirmed that more than 50 people have been killed with many worshipper injured.

Sources at some of the hospitals, Life Care and Premier Hospital, said many of the injured were taken there and were receiving medical attention.

An eyewitness, who spoke with our reporter, said “You need to be here to witness it, there is so much confusion.”

“Pastor Akan Week was being consecrated today so the programme was holding inside the Church when suddenly, the whole building collapsed. Many people are buried under the debris as emergency workers continue rescue exercise,” he said.

According to the eyewitness, the Church was being renovated and upgraded because of the expected high number of guests on Saturday.

Reacting to the incident, the State Chairman of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Dr Aniekeme Uwah, in a letter tagged A CLARION CALL FOR BLOOD DONATION, has set up a response team to the church.

In order to aid the response team carry out her duty of responding to the mass casualty and to  save the lives of our people, I hereby call on all well meaning citizens to rise up to the occasion of being our brothers’ keepers by VOLUNTARILY DONATING BLOOD NEEDED FOR TRANSFUSION. Kindly go the blood banks of University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH) and St Luke’s Hospital,Anua, Uyo,” the letter appealed.