A section of Pentagon Lodge, a privately-owned three-storey building housing students of Alex Ekwueme Federal University, Ndufu-Alike, Ikwo (AE-FUNAI), Ebonyi State, collapsed on Friday afternoon.
Preliminary reports indicate that the structure had shown visible signs of structural distress, including cracks, prior to the incident—prompting some students to vacate the premises as a precaution. While no fatalities or injuries have been confirmed at the time of filing this report, several students’ belongings remain trapped inside, particularly those of occupants who had travelled.
Pentagon Lodge reportedly comprises five blocks, with the collapse affecting part of one block. The Public Relations Officer of AE-FUNAI, Elom Iyke Ubochi, confirmed the development in a statement issued in Abakaliki on Saturday.
He expressed relief that the incident occurred during lecture hours, noting that most students were likely on campus at the time, thus averting a potential tragedy.
“From information available to us, no casualties have been recorded. The incident happened during school hours when students were attending lectures or other academic engagements. Unfortunately, some students’ personal effects were affected,” Ubochi stated.
He further advised affected students residing in the privately managed facility to formally report their losses to the Dean of Student Affairs for appropriate documentation and intervention by the university management.
