Panic gripped parts of Umuahia, Abia State, after three buildings collapsed in separate incidents, with authorities attributing the disasters to structural defects and non-compliance with building regulations.
One of the affected structures, a one-storey building under construction on Finbars Road, Umuahia, collapsed in the early hours of Friday following a heavy downpour. No lives were lost, as construction workers were not on site when the incident occurred.
The collapse came barely two months after the Umuahia Capital Development Authority (UCDA) declared the building illegal and warned the developer to stop work over identified structural defects.
The General Manager of UCDA, Mr. Kingsley Agomoh, who led officials to seal off the site, confirmed that the owner had ignored earlier directives despite warnings of an imminent collapse.
In a related development, an abandoned three-storey building at Road 2 Junction, Low Cost Housing Estate, Umuahia, also collapsed. The incident occurred one year after another three-storey building within the same compound caved in in July 2025.
Similarly, a two-storey building under construction in Umugbalu, Ikwuano Local Government Area, collapsed, reportedly due to structural defects linked to the use of substandard building materials. No casualties were recorded.
Following an inspection of the affected sites, UCDA General Manager Kingsley Agomoh urged property owners and developers to obtain the necessary development approvals and subject building plans to proper soil and structural assessments before commencing construction.
He warned that strict compliance with building regulations is essential to prevent avoidable disasters and safeguard lives and property across the state.
