By John Egbo
What was meant to be another quiet Sunday night at a student hostel in Oko, Anambra State, turned into a nightmare that many may never forget.
Some students had just finished reading for upcoming examinations. Others were chatting with roommates, making late-night calls to their parents, or scrolling through their phones before sleep. For many families, it was just another ordinary evening—until the phone calls stopped.
Then came a deafening sound.
Within seconds, a multi-storey hostel reportedly collapsed, trapping students beneath heaps of concrete and twisted metal. The peaceful community was thrown into chaos as terrified survivors screamed for help and desperate residents rushed toward the dust-covered ruins.
The cries coming from beneath the rubble pierced the night. Friends searched frantically for classmates. Some called out familiar names, hoping for a response. Parents, many miles away, were left gripped by fear as disturbing videos of the collapsed building spread across social media.
Without waiting to be told, students, neighbours, and volunteers joined emergency responders, digging through the debris with bare hands and simple tools, hoping every passing minute would bring another survivor rather than another heartbreaking discovery.
For the families of those still unaccounted for, every ring of the phone brings both hope and dread. Every rescue from the rubble is met with silent prayers. Every passing hour feels unbearably long.
A hostel is meant to be a place where young people feel safe while chasing their dreams. Instead, for many in Oko, it became the scene of unimaginable tragedy.
As rescue efforts continue, the nation waits anxiously for official confirmation of the number of victims and the cause of the collapse. But beyond the statistics are dreams interrupted, friendships tested by tragedy, and parents praying that their children will return home alive.
Tonight, Nigeria stands with the students of Federal Polytechnic Oko, their families, and everyone affected by this devastating incident, hoping that more lives will be saved from the ruins and that the lessons from this tragedy will never be ignored.
