At least 10 killed in southern Nigeria church collapse - reports

Nigerian rescue workers searching through rubble from the collapsed guesthouse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. File picture: EPA

Nigerian rescue workers searching through rubble from the collapsed guesthouse at the Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, Nigeria. File picture: EPA

Published Dec 11, 2016

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Onitsha, Nigeria - At least ten people were killed and some 15 wounded when a church collapsed during a service in southern Nigeria on Saturday, a resident and police

said.

State news agency NAN said on its website there had been 60

"victims" of the collapse in the southern city of Uyo in Akwa

Ibom state without clarifying whether they had been killed or

wounded.

"I visited the scene of the incident today and saw people

being taken out," said Monday Akpan, a resident. "More than ten

people were killed from my calculation and what I heard others

say there."

Local media put the death toll even higher. The Premium

Times said on its website at least 50 people had been killed or

seriously injured.

Police and civil service officials said some worshippers had

been killed but refused to give a figure as the rescue operation

was still ongoing.

The church collapsed during a service when a pastor was to

be consecrated as bishop and local officials in attendance

escaped unhurt, police spokeswomen Cordelia Nwawe said.

"Ten to 15 people were injured and have been taken to a

hospital," Nwawe said. 

Reuters

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