DMGS Building Collapse: Appeal Court Judge Leads Probe Panel

By Chuks Eke*

The Church of Nigeria, Anglican Communion, Province on the Niger, in collaboration with the DMGS Old Boys Association and school authorities, has formed a joint panel of inquiry to look into the remote causes of the recent collapse of the Centenary building at the Dennis Memorial Grammar School, DMGS, Onitsha in Anambra state, which killed one person and sent two others to the hospital.

The nine-member panel, which was inaugurated on Tuesday by six Anglican Bishops, is led by Hon. Justice Peter Obiorah, a former DMGS Onitsha student.

The panel’s terms of reference include investigating the cause of a five-story building collapse at the school on June 12, 2024.

The Anglican Bishop on the Niger, Rt Rev Dr Owen Nwokolo, and five other Anglican Bishops, led by the Archbishop, Province on the Niger, His Grace, Most Rev Dr Alexander Ibezim, stormed the scene of the incident to pray and ward off evils. The panel was given one month from the inaugural date of June 18 to submit its report.

Barr. Andy Obianwu, secretary, Shed Onwuasosnya, Azuka Onweluzo, Ofodile Anieto, Peter Okpala, Samuel Akabogu, Chukwunonso Igboka, and Kingsley Ibekwe were also on the panel.

The panel will review administrative and technical processes, building plans, and architectural design to ensure compliance with standards and approval from the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria.

The panel is also tasked with investigating whether the structural design was created by a qualified architect registered with the Architects Registration Council of Nigeria, a structural engineer registered with COREN, whether it was properly supervised during construction, whether the materials used underwent rigorous testing and the cause of the collapse.

Aside from Owen, the host bishop, and Ibezim, the head of the Anglican Church in the Niger Province, other bishops included Ephraim Ikeakor of Amichi Diocese, Obiorah Uzochukwu of Mbamili Diocese, Prosper Amah of Ogbaru Diocese, and Ndubisi Obi of Nnewi Diocese.