Students panic over Anambra hostel collapse

• A student hostel, Elite Star Lodge, collapsed in Anambra State on Monday, trapping an unknown number of students.

• Rescue workers, security personnel and volunteers have launched search operations.

• Police have appealed for calm as rescue efforts continue.

Videos circulating on social media captured the aftermath of the incident, showing a section of the building caved in as stunned residents, students and passers-by gathered at the scene while rescue efforts got underway.

The collapse sparked panic in the area, with many of those believed to be trapped said to be students living in the hostel. While the number of casualties had yet to be ascertained as of the time of filing this report, some injured victims were rescued from the rubble and taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.

Eyewitnesses said the building suddenly gave way while students were inside. Videos and photographs from the scene showed rescue workers, security personnel and volunteers combing through the debris in a race against time to locate survivors.

Confirming the incident, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said, “Anambra State Police-led joint security team assures ongoing rescue operations following the late-night incident on Sunday 26th July 2026, involving the collapse of a three-storey building known as Elite Five Star Lodge, located beside Tonimas Filling Station, Amokpala, Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area of the State. The incident resulted in some occupants being trapped beneath the rubble."

Ikenga also appealed to residents to remain calm as emergency responders continued search and rescue operations at the scene, with security agencies working alongside other emergency personnel to ensure those still trapped are reached as quickly as possible.