Chijioke Oseloka Ojukwu, Anambra State Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, has ordered the evacuation and structural integrity assessment of a nearby three-storey building after a two-storey residential building collapsed at Inyaba-Umudim, Nnewi North Local Government Area, on Sunday, with no deaths reported.

The collapse has renewed concerns over compliance with building regulations in Anambra, where authorities have stepped up enforcement following a series of structural failures across the state.

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Ojukwu described the Nnewi incident as unfortunate but said the absence of reported fatalities was a source of relief.

He visited the scene on Monday for an on-site assessment as officials began examining the circumstances surrounding the collapse.

The commissioner said preliminary findings indicated that the collapsed structure had been constructed without the required approval from the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development.

He also said the building had been erected on the perimeter wall of an existing three-storey building within the same compound, raising concerns about compliance with setback and construction requirements.

“We have not been able to confirm if there is any casualty of life. What is important is that the building was poorly constructed and was built without the requisite approval of the Ministry,” Ojukwu said.

The government has consequently moved to protect occupants of the neighbouring three-storey structure, which shares the compound with the collapsed building.

Ojukwu said all occupants of the three-storey building would be evacuated while the structure undergoes a mandatory integrity test.

If the assessment determines that the building is unsafe, the government will order its demolition.

The decision reflects a broader shift towards preventive intervention following recent building failures in the state.

Rather than waiting for another collapse, officials are seeking to identify structures that could pose a danger and remove the risk before lives are lost.

Ojukwu also warned that the government would take action against buildings constructed within the perimeter of existing structures, those that breach approved setback requirements or those erected without the necessary planning approval.

The commissioner said similar structures across the state would be targeted for what he described as symbolic demolitions as enforcement of planning regulations intensifies.

The Nnewi incident comes only weeks after another serious building collapse in Anambra.

In July, a three-storey student hostel at Amaokpala near Oko, in Orumba North Local Government Area, collapsed, killing at least two people and injuring others.

The incident prompted the state government to seal the site and establish an investigation panel to determine the cause of the disaster.

Following that tragedy, the government ordered structural integrity assessments of commercial buildings in Oko and Amaokpala and warned that those found unsafe could be demolished.

The July collapse also triggered renewed scrutiny of construction practices in the state.

Preliminary government assessments pointed to structural failure as the likely cause, while officials alleged that defects had been known to the owners and management of the affected property. Those findings remain subject to the government’s investigation.

The state government has since signalled an increasingly forceful approach to building regulation.

In June, Ojukwu said the government was considering legislation to criminalise construction without the necessary approvals and empower authorities to take stronger action against developers whose projects violate safety requirements.

The government has also previously attributed building failures to factors including substandard materials, poor workmanship, inadequate planning and failure to comply with approved development procedures.

Those concerns extend beyond individual properties. Building collapses across Nigeria have repeatedly raised questions about the enforcement of planning regulations, professional supervision and the quality of construction materials.

For residents of Nnewi, however, the immediate concern is the safety of buildings surrounding the collapsed structure.

The mandatory assessment of the neighbouring three-storey building could determine whether the collapse was an isolated failure or whether the incident exposed wider structural risks within the compound.

The absence of reported deaths makes the Nnewi collapse a fortunate escape, but officials have not treated the incident lightly.

The government’s decision to evacuate occupants before completing the integrity assessment reflects the potentially serious consequences of remaining in a structure whose safety has not been established.

For Anambra authorities, the incident also provides another test of their stated commitment to enforcing planning laws.

The challenge will be to ensure that enforcement does not stop at demolition after a collapse, but extends to effective inspection, approval, professional oversight and early intervention.

Ojukwu has maintained that the ultimate objective is to protect lives and property by ensuring that buildings meet approved standards.

In Nnewi, the fact that no fatality has been reported may prove the most encouraging part of an otherwise troubling incident.