WARRI, Nigeria -- A hospital director says 160 people were killed when a church roof collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria.

Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital said mortuaries are overflowing and the final death toll likely will be much higher. Youth leader Edikan Peters said many other victims are in private mortuaries scattered all over the city of Uyo.

Congregants said the Reigners Bible Church was still under construction when it was crowded with worshippers to ordain a bishop on Saturday. Metal girders crashed and the corrugated iron roof caved in.

The state government said it will investigate to see if building standards were compromised.

 In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos. A coroner blamed structural faults.</s>The roof of a crowded church collapsed on to worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing 160 people, a hospital director said.

Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital said mortuaries were overflowing and the final death toll is likely to be much higher.

Youth leader Edikan Peters said many other victims are in private mortuaries scattered all over the city of Uyo.

Congregants said the Reigners Bible Church was still under construction when it was crowded with worshippers to ordain a bishop on Saturday. Metal girders crashed and the corrugated iron roof caved in.

The state government said it will investigate to see if building standards were compromised.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-storey building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos. A coroner blamed structural faults.</s>The roof of a church packed with worshipers collapsed in Nigeria killing 160 people.

Worshipers were left trapped under the rubble after the corrugated iron roof caved in at the Reigners Bible Church in the city if Uyo.

Workers had been rushing to finish the church in time for the ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop, congregants said.

It was still under construction when it was crowded with worshipers to ordain the bishop on Saturday.

Hundreds of people, including Akwa Ibom state governor Udom Emmanuel, were inside when metal girders crashed on to worshipers and the corrugated iron roof caved in, they said.

Etete Peters, a hospital director, said mortuaries were overflowing and the final death toll was likely to be much higher.

Youth leader Edikan Peters said many other victims were in private mortuaries scattered all over the city.

The state government said it will investigate to see if building standards were compromised.

He said some people are secretly taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because mortuaries are overcrowded and some do not have refrigeration.

A crane is being used to lift debris believed to be hiding the bodies of more victims, he said.

Journalists at the scene claim church officials are trying to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits.

It comes as 17 people were injured in Nigeria’s north-east city of Maiduguri after two suicide bombers blew themselves up at a crowded market.

A male and female suicide bomber detonated themselves minutes apart. The attack was blamed on the Boko Haram Islamic extremist group.</s>Nigerian church collapse kills 'at least 160' worshippers during bishop ordination

Updated

Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church have collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director says.

Key points: Mortuaries overflowing after church collapses

Hospital director says 160 dead, expects toll to rise

Crane being used to lift debris

Building collapses are common in Nigeria

Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday's tragedy, said medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital.

The Reigners Bible Church International was still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday's ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop.

Hundreds of people, including Akwa Ibom state Governor Udom Emmanuel, were inside when metal girders crashed onto worshippers and the corrugated iron roof caved in, they said.

Mr Emmanuel and Bishop Weeks, who preaches that God will make his followers rich, escaped unhurt.

Screaming survivors were streaming out and there were cries from injured victims when computer program analyst Ukeme Eyibio rushed to the scene.

"There were trapped bodies, parts of bodies, blood all over the place and people's handbags and shoes scattered," Mr Eyibio said.

He had parked his car outside the complex to make a phone call, heard a deafening explosion he thought was a bomb only to see that the church had disappeared, he said.

Mr Eyibio and three others managed to drag 10 wounded people from an overflow area for worshippers just outside the collapsed church but they did not enter the main structure because a construction worker among them warned of the danger of a further collapse.

The worker called his boss at Julius Berger construction company, who sent a crane to help lift debris off bodies.

'Dying all around us'

While they waited for the crane, Mr Eyibio tried to help a man whose legs were trapped under a steel girder.

"I rushed to my car, got out the tyre jack and used that to get the beam off his legs," he said.

"We managed to get him out but we saw others dying all around us.

"I'm so traumatised I could not sleep last night for the horrors repeating themselves in my mind."

Video posted to Facebook showed the aftermath of the collapse (warning: graphic content).

Many uncounted victims are in private mortuaries scattered across Uyo, youth leader Edikan Peters said.

He said some people are secretly taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because mortuaries are overcrowded and some do not have refrigeration.

Journalists at the scene claim that church officials are trying to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

The governor's spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will hold an inquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards.

Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits.

AP

Topics: accidents, disasters-and-accidents, nigeria

First posted</s>WARRI, Nigeria — Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday.

Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday's tragedy, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press.

The Reigners Bible Church International was still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday's ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop, congregants said.

Hundreds of people, including Akwa Ibom state Gov. Udom Emmanuel, were inside when metal girders crashed onto worshippers and the corrugated iron roof caved in, they said. Emmanuel and Weeks, who preaches that God will make his followers rich, escaped unhurt.

Screaming survivors were streaming out and there were cries from injured victims when computer program analyst Ukeme Eyibio rushed to the scene.

"There were trapped bodies, parts of bodies, blood all over the place and people's handbags and shoes scattered," Eyibio said in a telephone interview.

He had parked his car outside the complex to make a phone call, heard a deafening explosion he thought was a bomb only to see that the church had disappeared, he said

Eyibio and three others managed to drag 10 wounded people from an overflow area for of worshippers just outside the collapsed church but they did not enter the main structure because a construction worker among them warned of the danger of a further collapse. The worker called his boss at Julius Berger construction company, who sent a crane to help lift debris off bodies.

While they waited for the crane, Eyibio tried to help a man whose legs were trapped under a steel girder. "I rushed to my car, got out the tire jack and used that to get the beam off his legs," he said.

"We managed to get him out but we saw others dying all around us," Eyibio, 27, said. "I'm so traumatized I could not sleep last night for the horrors repeating themselves in my mind."

Many uncounted victims are in private mortuaries scattered across Uyo, youth leader Edikan Peters said. He said some people are secretly taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because mortuaries are overcrowded and some do not have refrigeration.

A crane is being used to lift debris believed to be hiding the bodies of more victims, said Peters.

Peter said he tallied 90 bodies before he was told to stop counting on Saturday night.

Journalists at the scene charge that church officials are trying to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

The governor's spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will hold an inquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards. Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city. Most victims were visiting South African followers of the megachurch's influential founder T. B. Joshua.

Two structural engineers, Joshua and church trustees have been accused of criminal negligence and involuntary manslaughter after a coroner found the building collapsed from structural failures caused by design and detailing errors.

But Lagos state government efforts to bring them to court have been foiled by repeated legal challenges that have delayed a trial.</s>An official says the toll from a double suicide bombing in a marketplace in northeast Nigeria has risen to 57 dead and 177 wounded.

Yusuf Muhammed, chairman of the Madagali local government, says 120 children are among those wounded when two women suicide bombers blew themselves up Friday at opposite ends of the market in Madagali town.

Officials have blamed Boko Haram Islamic extremists. The explosions occurred on the edge of the group’s Sambisa Forest stronghold, which Nigeria’s military has been bombing ahead of ground assaults. Since the military has dislodged the insurgents from towns and villages this year, they have been attacking soft targets.

Madagali was liberated last year after months in the hands of Boko Haram.</s>Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday.

Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday’s tragedy, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press.

The Reigners Bible Church International was still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday’s ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop, congregants said.

Hundreds of people, including Akwa Ibom state Gov. Udom Emmanuel, were inside when metal girders crashed onto worshippers and the corrugated iron roof caved in, they said. Emmanuel and Weeks, who preaches that God will make his followers rich, escaped unhurt.

Screaming survivors were streaming out and there were cries from injured victims when computer program analyst Ukeme Eyibio rushed to the scene.

“There were trapped bodies, parts of bodies, blood all over the place and people’s handbags and shoes scattered,” Eyibio said in a telephone interview.

He had parked his car outside the complex to make a phone call, heard a deafening explosion he thought was a bomb only to see that the church had disappeared, he said Eyibio and three others managed to drag 10 wounded people from an overflow area for of worshippers just outside the collapsed church but they did not enter the main structure because a construction worker among them warned of the danger of a further collapse. The worker called his boss at Julius Berger construction company, who sent a crane to help lift debris off bodies.

While they waited for the crane, Eyibio tried to help a man whose legs were trapped under a steel girder. “I rushed to my car, got out the tire jack and used that to get the beam off his legs,” he said.

“We managed to get him out but we saw others dying all around us,” Eyibio, 27, said. “I’m so traumatized I could not sleep last night for the horrors repeating themselves in my mind.”

Many uncounted victims are in private mortuaries scattered across Uyo, youth leader Edikan Peters said. He said some people are secretly taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because mortuaries are overcrowded and some do not have refrigeration.

A crane is being used to lift debris believed to be hiding the bodies of more victims, said Peters.

Peter said he tallied 90 bodies before he was told to stop counting on Saturday night.

Journalists at the scene charge that church officials are trying to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

The governor’s spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will hold an inquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards. Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city. Most victims were visiting South African followers of the megachurch’s influential founder T. B. Joshua.

Two structural engineers, Joshua and church trustees have been accused of criminal negligence and involuntary manslaughter after a coroner found the building collapsed from structural failures caused by design and detailing errors.

But Lagos state government efforts to bring them to court have been foiled by repeated legal challenges that have delayed a trial.</s>In this image taken from video people stand at the scene after the roof of The Reigners Bible Church International collapsed onto worshippers in Uyo, southern Nigeria. (Photo: AP)

Lagos, Nigeria: Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said on Sunday.

Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday's tragedy, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press.

The Reigners Bible Church International was still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday's ceremony to ordain founder Akan Weeks as a bishop, congregants said.

Hundreds of people, including Akwa Ibom state Gov. Udom Emmanuel, were inside when metal girders crashed onto worshippers and the corrugated iron roof caved in, they said. Emmanuel and Weeks, who preached that God will make his followers rich, escaped unhurt.

Many uncounted victims are in private mortuaries scattered across Uyo, youth leader Edikan Peters said. He said some people are secretly taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because mortuaries are overcrowded and some do not have refrigeration.

A crane is being used to lift debris believed to be hiding the bodies of more victims, said Peters.

He tallied 90 bodies before he was told to stop counting on Saturday night, Peters said.

Journalists at the scene charge that church officials are trying to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

The governor's spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will hold an inquiry to investigate if anyone compromised building standards. Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption with contractors using sub-standard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of building permits.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria's largest city. Most victims were visiting South African followers of the megachurch's influential founder T. B. Joshua.

Two structural engineers, Joshua and church trustees have been accused of criminal negligence and involuntary manslaughter after a coroner found the building collapsed from structural failures caused by design and detailing errors.

But Lagos state government efforts to bring them to court have been foiled by repeated legal challenges that have delayed a trial.</s>WARRI, Nigeria (AP) — A hospital director says 160 people were killed when a church roof collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria.

Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital said mortuaries are overflowing and the final death toll likely will be much higher. Youth leader Edikan Peters said many other victims are in private mortuaries scattered all over the city of Uyo.

Congregants said the Reigners Bible Church was still under construction when it was crowded with worshippers to ordain a bishop on Saturday. Metal girders crashed and the corrugated iron roof caved in.

The state government said it will investigate to see if building standards were compromised.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multi-story building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos. A coroner blamed structural faults.</s>WARRI, Nigeria | Mortuaries overflowed with bodies Sunday from a church collapse in southern Nigeria that killed at least 160 people, and worshippers said construction of the building had been rushed.

Hundreds had been inside the Reigners Bible Church International in the city of Uyo on Saturday for the consecration of founder Akan Weeks as its bishop when the metal girders fell and the corrugated iron roof caved in.

Screaming survivors streamed out amid cries from the injured inside.

In this image taken from video people stand at the scene after the roof of The Reigners Bible Church International collapsed onto worshippers in Uyo, southern Nigeria on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, killing dozens, witnesses and an official said. (Channels TV via AP) In this image made from video taken on Saturday, Dec. 10, 2016, local people survey the scene after a church roof collapsed in Uyo, Nigeria. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. Mortuaries in the city of Uyo are overflowing from Saturday's tragedy, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press. (Ukeme Eyibio via AP) Security men at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday.(AP Photo/) People gathered at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers in southern Nigeria, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo) A woman stands to look at the site of a collapsed church in Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. Metal girders and the roof of a crowded church collapsed onto worshippers, Saturday, killing at least 160 people with the toll likely to rise, a hospital director said Sunday. (AP Photo/) A view of the Reigners Bible Church International that collapsed in the city of Uyo, Nigeria, Sunday, Dec. 11, 2016. The roof collapsed Saturday as some hundreds gathered for the consecration of founder Akan Weeks as its bishop. (AP Photo/Chukwuemeka Nwaneri)

“There were trapped bodies, parts of bodies, blood all over the place and people’s handbags and shoes scattered,” said computer analyst Ukeme Eyibio.

Weeks and Akwa Ibom state Gov. Udom Emmanuel were among the survivors.

Eyibio had parked his car outside the complex to make a phone call when he heard a deafening crash and saw that the church had disappeared.

He and three others dragged 10 injured people from an overflow area for worshippers just outside the collapsed church. They did not enter the main structure because a construction worker warned it was not safe.

The worker called his boss at Julius Berger construction company, which sent a crane to help lift debris off bodies.

While they waited for the crane, Eyibio helped a man whose legs were trapped under a girder.

“I rushed to my car, got out the tire jack and used that to get the beam off his legs,” the 27-year-old said by telephone.

“We managed to get him out, but we saw others dying all around us,” he added. “I’m so traumatized I could not sleep last night for the horrors repeating themselves in my mind.”

Mortuaries in Uyo were overwhelmed by the disaster, medical director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital told The Associated Press.

Many of the dead were taken to private mortuaries scattered across the city, said youth leader Edikan Peters. Some people were taking the bodies of relatives to their homes because of the overcrowding.

Peters said he counted 90 bodies removed from the church before he was stold to stop his tally Saturday night. Journalists also said that church officials sought to prevent them from documenting the tragedy, trying to seize cameras and forcing some to leave the area.

The church had been still under construction and workers had been rushing to finish it in time for Saturday’s ceremony, congregants said. The governor’s spokesman, Ekerete Udoh, said the state government will investigate if any building standards were compromised.

Buildings collapse often in Nigeria because of endemic corruption, with contractors using substandard materials and bribing inspectors to ignore shoddy work or a lack of permits.

In 2014, 116 people died when a multistory guesthouse of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria’s largest city. Most victims were visiting South African followers of the megachurch’s influential founder T.B. Joshua.

Two structural engineers, Joshua and church trustees were accused of criminal negligence and involuntary manslaughter after a coroner found the building collapsed from structural failures caused by design and detailing errors. Efforts to bring them to court have been foiled by repeated legal challenges.
The death toll from yesterday's church collapse in Uyo, Nigeria, rises to 160 with the death toll expected to rise further.