By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
An unconfirmed number of people, mostly children, reportedly trapped in the rubble of a building which collapsed in Okpanam, Oshimili North Local Government Area of Delta State on Tuesday evening.
The building, said to belong to the branch of Salvation Ministries, collapsed during a service. Salvation Ministries is owned by a popular Nigerian pastor, David Ibiyeomie, with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was gathered that construction work was ongoing in a part of the church building before the incident.
In several videos which have gone viral, some persons, including children, were being rescued.
Officials of the Red Cross, fire service, and security agencies are still on the ground as rescue operations continue.
A bulldozer is also at the scene digging through the rubble.
Edafe Bright, the Delta State Police Command spokesperson, who confirmed the incident to newsmen, said 18 persons have so far been rescued.
*We just left the scene now. 18 people so far have been rescued and so far, there is no recorded death,” he said.
