Uyo church tragedy: Govt confirms 26 dead, 30 discharged from hospitals •Udom to inaugurate inquiry panel today

AMID conflicting figures of death toll  at the Reigners International Church, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State tragedy, the Akwa Ibom State government has come up with authentic death toll of 26.

Governor Udom Emmanuel had earlier announced 23 as having died in the incident, while the police gave the figure as 29.

At a joint press briefing on Wednesday at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, the first since the tragic incident of December 10, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Dominic Ukpong, however, gave reasons for the conflicting figures.

He explained that some human errors arising from double counting at the scene of the incident, hospitals wards and the mortuary complicated the counting.

According to him, 30 patients had so far been discharged out of no fewer than 168 victims admitted in 10 hospitals for various degrees of injuries, while 150 were treated for minor injuries and discharged same day of the incident.

The commissioner, who called for more cash and blood donations, said several millions of naira had so far been expended on the treatment of victims, saying all corpses had been deposited at the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (UUTH).

He said the state government was working towards setting State Emergency Coordinating Agency for quick response to emergency situations in future.

The agency, Ukpong explained would have medical personnel, security agencies and allied organisations, adding that the state government had already imported essential facilities, including ambulances that would form part of the emergency response agency.

The Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Honourable Uwemedimo Nwoko, said the state government had concluded the constitution of the Panel of Inquiry and would inaugurate it today.

The Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, who was represented by state police command Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Cordelia Nwawe, said the police would not leave any stone unturned in the process of unravelling the mystery behind the collapse of the church.

According to Mani, anyone found culpable with criminal intent, would be made to face the due process of law.

The Commissioner for Works, Akparawa Ephraim Inyang-eyen, said government would begin regulation of public buildings to ensure such facilities conform to normal building standard before being allowed to host public events.

Besides, he appealed to public-spirited individuals to avail the ministry with information on old and new buildings seen as life-threatening to the public.

The Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Ekerete Udoh, appealed to the media not to exacerbate tension in the state with sensational reportage of the unfortunate incident, but work with the state government and other good-spirited individuals to bring succour to the affected families.

Udoh, a victim of the tragedy, who is still recovering from his hospital bed at the Ibom Specialist Hospital, was represented by the Special Assistant to Governor Emmanuel on Public Affairs, Raphael Edem.

He thanked President Muhammadu Buhari; Senate President Bukola Saraki; his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu; Godwill Akpabio; the leadership of the House of Assembly and other individuals who donated cash and blood to the victims.

Meanwhile, the Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has condoled with his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Mr Udom Emmanuel, over the unfortunate church collapse and eventual death of many worshippers.

In his condolence message, Governor Mimiko, through a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Mr Kayode Akinmade, said he received with shock the news of the Reigner’s Bible Church international building collapse and death of large number of worshippers in the church.

Full of thanks to God for the escape of  Governor Udom from the scene, Mimiko also prayed for the  repose of the souls of the victims of the accident.

In the same vein, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has written the Akwa Ibom State governor, Udom Emmanuel, conveying the condolences of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over Saturday’s church building collapse in the state which led to the loss of several lives and injuries.

Odigie-Oyegun, in the letter he personally signed, said in spite of the tragic loss of lives, there was still need for thanksgiving as the life of the governor and several others were rescued from the wreckage of the worship centre.