Cross River Tragedy: Building Crushed by Collapsed Refuse Dump, Two Dead

A tragic incident in Calabar, Cross River State, has resulted in the confirmed deaths of two individuals after a refuse dump caved in on a structure located at Ikot Effanga, near Old Odukpani Road.

ASP Sunday Eitokpah, the spokesperson for the Cross River State Police Command, issued a statement detailing the unfortunate event. According to Eitokpah, the disaster unfolded during the early morning hours of Friday, August 28, 2026, when the massive refuse pile gave way, striking a building believed to have been situated in a valley.

The police statement further elaborated: "The Cross River State Police Command is aware of a reported incident involving the collapse of a refuse dump at Ikot Effanga, along the Old Odukpani Road, Calabar, in the early hours of Friday, 28th August 2026, the statement read. “Police personnel responded promptly to the scene, where it was discovered that the collapsed refuse had impacted a building reportedly constructed within a valley, resulting in the death of two occupants.”

The police confirmed the identities of the deceased as Nfon Imé, a male, and an unnamed female. Both individuals were reportedly inside the affected building when the incident occurred. Their remains have since been retrieved and transferred to the mortuary.

The statement from ASP Eitokpah explicitly stated: "The deceased, identified as Nfon Imé ‘m’, and a yet-to-be-identified female, believed to have been in the building at the time of the incident, have been recovered and deposited at the mortuary.”

The police spokesperson confirmed that authorities are currently assessing the situation to understand the full circumstances leading to the collapse, with a full-scale investigation already underway. "The Command is currently conducting an assessment of the circumstances surrounding the incident, while further investigation is ongoing,” ASP Eitokpah added.

The Command appealed to the public to maintain calm and refrain from spreading unverified information as efforts continue to ascertain all facts related to the tragedy. They assured that "Further details will be communicated as soon as they are verified and available.”