Akwa Ibom State Governor, Udom Emmanuel and members of the state executive council, narrowly escaped death when a church building collapsed.
Unconfirmed reports claimed that over fifty persons died when the building collapsed.
Eyewitnesses told The Guardian that more than 50 have been pulled out from the rubble with many still trapped.
Rescue team members said that over 60 casualties had been removed from the debris. The church, which is still under construction, is located in a hillside near the Government House, popularly known as Ravine.
The cause of the collapsed building was not immediately known, but some members alleged that the contractor used inferior materials for the construction work.
Security agencies have blocked access routes to the area, to forestall a breakdown of law and order, with only pedestrians allowed to use the only access road to the church.
Government ambulances, medical personnel and the Red Cross have also been mobilised to the church, to give first aid to the injured.
