Death toll rises after church collapses in Nigeria

  • 12/12/2016
Death toll rises after church collapses in Nigeria

At least 160 people have been killed after the roof of a crowded church in southern Nigeria collapsed onto worshippers.

The church was still under construction and hundreds of people were gathered inside when scaffolding came down and the corrugated iron roof caved in.

"The building from the centre started cracking, and in less than a minute the whole building collapsed," a witness told local media.

Workers had been rushing to finish construction in time to ordain the church's founder Akan Weeks as a bishop on Saturday.

Hospital director Etete Peters told the Associated Press local mortuaries are overflowing from the tragedy and the death toll is expected to rise.

An investigation will be launched into whether the building was up to standard.

Newshub.