A scavenger was discovered dead when a staircase in an abandoned one-story building collapsed on him at Elechi Street in the Mile 3 neighbourhood of Diobu in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
According to reports, the one-story building has been taken over by weeds, while the walls are cracked.
Godstime Ihunwo, Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Oroworukwo Mile 3 Diobu, spoke about the event, saying he received information about 6.15 p.m. on Wednesday that several hoodlums were in the building smoking substances suspected to be hard narcotics.
Ihunwo, who is also a member of a vigilante organisation in the region, stated that he mobilised his men to the location and that when they arrived, the hoodlums had fled.
“On getting to the scene, the hoodlums had left the abandoned building. But while we were searching, we saw the lifeless body of a man.
“We also observed that the staircase of the abandoned one-story building collapsed on the deceased. We quickly raised the alarm, which drew the attention of residents of the area who came to the scene.
“We quickly informed the Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters in Mile 3 Diobu of the development.”
It was gathered that the police had visited the scene of the incident on Wednesday afternoon.
At the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko,had yet to comment on the incident.
