Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom survived death by a whisker on Saturday when the Reigners Bible Church International on Uyo Village Road collapsed, killing over 200 people.
Mr Emmanuel, who was special guest of honour, was whisked away by his security personnel with scores trapped in the rubble.
The governor was attending the consecration of Pastor Akan Weeks as bishop when the church building collapsed.
A witness told NAN that the building collapsed 30 minutes after the governor arrived.
“When we were about taking offering, 30 minutes after the governor came in, the building caved in. Security operatives took him away,” he said.
Secretary to the State Government, Etekamba Umoren, was said to have sustained injury and was taken to an undisclosed hospital.
It was also gathered that the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ekerette Udoh, was also injured in the tragedy.
Commissioner of Police, Murtala Mani, who confirmed the incident, said he could not ascertain the number of those dead or trapped in the building.
“I don’t know how many people have died from the collapsed building or those trapped,” he said.
Police Public Relation Officer, Cordelia Nwawe, also said she could not confirm the casualty figure since rescue operations were ongoing.
She said that security operatives had been drafted to maintain law and order at the scene to prevent hoodlums from cashing in on the situation.
“Rescue team members are trying their best to rescue all the victims trapped inside the collapsed building.
“We cannot tell you the exact number of casualties now as the rescue operations are on,” she said.
Saturday’s tragedy comes two years after a guesthouse belonging to Pastor TB Joshua’s Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos collapsed on September 12, 2014, killing at least 115 people, 84 of them South Africans.
