Uyo church collapse: Arrest set to be made

- Governor Udom has ordered the arrest of the contractors and engineers that constructed the Reigners Bible Church

- Senate President Bukola Saraki also called for a probe of the disaster

Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom state has ordered the immediate arrest of the contractors and engineers that constructed the Reigners Bible Church International Inc, Uyo, which collapsed on Saturday, December 10, killing scores of people.

According to Aniekeme Finbarr, the personal assistants to the governor on media, Udom gave the order on Sunday, December 11.

“They (contractors) should be made to answer certain questions so that the state would be able to get to the root cause of the matter,” the governor was quoted as saying.

READ ALSO: Gov Udom helps with rescue operations as church building collapses in Uyo

Governor Udom’s order comes hours after the Senate President Bukola Saraki had called for a probe of the disaster.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu commiserated with the people of Akwa Ibom over the incident.

He also called for investigation into the cause of the collapse, which caused the death of scores of people and injured many others.

While praying for speedy recovery for those still receiving medical attention in hospitals, he called for “urgent and thorough investigation to determine both the remote and immediate causes of the building collapse.

“I believe that such an investigation, if sincerely done, will help us to guard against unnecessary waste of lives, injuries and damage to property in the future. My heart goes out to all the victims, the Christian community in Akwa Ibom State and the entire people of the state.”

Meanwhile, some survivors of the church building collapse have also given a first-hand account of how the building collapsed on Saturday.

One of the survivors, Eno Etim, who spoke with The Punch, said the building collapsed shortly after a lady was called to lead the praise worship.

Etim, who hails from Mbo local government area of the state, said she could not recall how she landed in the hospital, adding that an iron bar hit her at the back, sending her reeling on the floor before she passed out

The housewife, who spoke shortly before she was moved out of the St. Luke’s General Hospital, Annua, Uyo, to the University of UYO Teaching, Uyo, said the congregation was dancing when the church collapsed.

READ ALSO: Uyo church collapse: 8 photos of the church after the collapse

Explaining that she was not a member of the church, Etim said she had come to witness the ordination of the presiding pastor of the church, Akan Weeks, as a bishop, because they both belong to the United Intercessors Network.

She said: “I was inside the church. Everything was normal; there was no problem. A lady was called to lead the praise worship session; the governor came in shortly after that. As the praise worship was going on, the building fell and I didn’t know how I got here.

“The iron fell on my back forcing me to fall on the ground with my face down.

“I don’t worship in the church. I worship in the United Intercessors Network, which Bishop Akan Weeks also belong to. I don’t live in Uyo. I came all the way from Oron.”

Governor Udom was the special guest of honour at the consecration service of the Founder of the church, Apostle Akan Weeks, as bishop.

The Reigners Bible Church International situated on Uyo Village Road, was still under construction when it collapsed.

It was gathered that its iron rafters caved in as the service was on-going.