A man believed to be a scavenger was found dead when a staircase in an abandoned one-storey building reportedly collapsed on him at Elechi Street in the Mile 3 area of Diobu in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
Our correspondent who visited the area observed that the one-storey building had been taken over by weeds, while the walls were cracked.
Speaking on the incident, the Chief Security Officer of Nkpolu Oroworukwo Mile 3 Diobu, Godstime Ihunwo, said he received information at about 6:15pm on Wednesday that some hoodlums were in the building smoking substances believed to be hard drugs.
Ihunwo, who is also a member of a vigilante group in the area (Diobu), said he mobilised his men to the scene and on getting to the area, the hoodlums had left.
He stated that the group, Diobu Vigilante Service, had previously been alerted of the activities of miscreants who had converted the building to a smoking point.
He said, “Based on the fresh complaints by residents of 38 Elechi Streets, Mile 3 Diobu, Port Harcourt, where hoodlums usually go and smoke hard drugs, I quickly mobilised my men to the scene.
“On getting to the scene, the hoodlums had left the abandoned building. But while we were conducting a search for the hoodlums, we saw a lifeless body of a man.
“We also observed that the staircase of the abandoned one-storey building collapsed on the deceased. We quickly raised the alarm which drew the attention of residents of the area who came to the scene.
“And we quickly informed the Nkpolu Divisional Police headquarters in Mile 3 Diobu, on the development.”
It was gathered that the police had visited the scene of the incident on Wednesday afternoon.
When contacted, spokesperson for the state police command, Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the death, saying investigation was ongoing.
Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, said, “I don’t know of hoodlums were using the place. What I am told is that the man that died was a scavenger.
“It is like he was trying to remove rods from the staircase when it collapsed on him. His corpse has been deposited in the mortuary and investigation is ongoing.”.
