Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, has ordered the immediate sealing of the site of the tragic building collapse along Odili Road in Port Harcourt, with a total ban on any further activities at the location.
Governor Fubara who issued this directive during an on-the-spot assessment of the collapse scene on Thursday June 25, 2026
described the incident as unfortunate and conveyed his deepest sympathies to the victims and their families.
He noted that while the site falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Housing Authority and not the Rivers State Government, state authorities had repeatedly visited the location to inspect the ongoing construction works.
“Reports from the Commissioner for Urban Development showed that we visited the site several times,” the governor said, adding that the developer had consistently insisted that the state government had no authority to interfere with the project.
Governor Fubara expressed shock that such a collapse could happen in the 21st century despite advancements in engineering and construction technology.
“Why would an engineer allow a project to continue when there were visible warning signs?” he queried.
The governor stressed the urgent need for all developers and professionals to strictly adhere to building standards and ethical practices to prevent future avoidable tragedies.
The Rivers State Government has vowed to ensure that necessary investigations are carried out to determine the cause of the collapse.
