By Simon Ateba/Lagos
The Government of Akwa Ibom State has declared Sunday, December 11 and Monday, December 12, 2016 as days of mourning in honour of the victims of the collapse of The Reigners Bible Church building in Uyo, the chief press secretary to the governor said in a statement on Sunday.
“To this end, all flags will fly at half-mast within the state,” he said.
“The 2-day mourning period will be rounded off with a Solemn Assembly at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Uyo on Monday December 12, 2016 by 4.pm prompt.
“The Government urges all citizens and friends of the state to continue to pray for the speedy recovery of those injured in this incident,” the statement read.
At least 200 people died in Nigeria on Saturday when a church building that was allegedly hurriedly built for a pastor’s ordination collapsed on its members during a service attended by the governor of the state, reports said on Sunday morning.
The collapse of the Reigners’ Bible Church Int’l Inc, along Uyo Village Road, Uyo, left the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, slightly injured and some of his aides dead.
Mr. Udom Emmanuel was in the church attending the ordination of the church’s Presiding Pastor, Bishop Elect Akan Weeks, when the building gave way few minutes before offering period.
Punchng.com said one of the aides who rescued the governor was said to have died at a nearby hospital where he was rushed to.
The newspaper quoted a security officer, who did not want to be named, as saying that many dignitaries who accompanied the governor to the church also died.
It said the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Etekamba Umoren, also shattered his head in the incident and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerette Udoh, also sustained serious injury.
The newspaper said construction works on a section where the ordination held “were rushed because of Saturday’s event”.
“The iron used in holding the roofing sheet was twice heavier than the block used for the building,” punchng.com said.
The church has an estimated 10,000-seater capacity.
The newspaper quoted the Chief Medical Director of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, Prof. Etete Peters, as saying that of the 50 cases treated in the hospital, only one person died.
He was quoted as saying that about 200 persons were brought to the hospital dead, adding that the hospital had never prepared for such an emergency.
He said: “We only lost one person in the hospital except those that were brought dead. In circumstances like this, we have been overwhelmed. We need help from government.
“Many victims are in private hospitals and mortuaries scattered all over Uyo metropolis; we can’t really tell how many people have died so far. We have over 200 persons in the mortuaries. We do not have space as people are still being brought in.’’
“We have done our best to revive some victims. Right now, we have over 50 cases we are attending to. This is the first time we are witnessing such an incident.’’