) A building under construction at a market in Nigeria’s southeastern state of Anambra collapsed Monday night, killing at least six and injuring some 20 others.
A search was under way for other survivors at the Odu-Igbo Market in the state’s commercial city of Onitsha, the National Emergency Management Agency of Nigeria said in a statement Tuesday.
During a visit to the market on Tuesday, Governor of Anambra State Charles Soludo told reporters that the collapsed building was erected by a private developer without the government’s approval.
Describing the incident as “tragic,” Soludo emphasized the government’s commitment to tackling the issue of illegal constructions in the state.
Cases of building collapse are common in Nigeria, and local experts put the blame on aging structures, non-compliance with building regulations, and the use of substandard materials in construction.
