Anambra Debunks Govt House Collapse Rumors Amid Storm Damage

Awka, April 11, 2026 – The Anambra State government has swiftly dismissed viral social media claims that a key structure at the newly built Government House in Awka collapsed due to shoddy construction during Thursday’s fierce rainstorm, labeling the reports as “misleading and mischievous.”

In a statement released Saturday by Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, officials clarified that only peripheral barricade partitions—erected about 20 meters outside the perimeter fence—sustained minor damage from gale-force winds and thunderstorms on April 9 evening. “No structure within the Anambra State Government House collapsed,” Aburime emphasized, countering videos circulating online that exaggerated the incident.

Eyewitness accounts and footage from the scene, shared across platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and verified by local outlets such as Vanguard and The Punch, show uprooted barricade sections amid scattered debris. The storm, which battered much of Anambra and neighboring states, toppled trees, disrupted power supplies, and damaged private properties in areas like Onitsha and Nnewi—no fatalities were recorded, per Nigeria Meteorological Agency updates.

The Anambra Capital Territory Development Authority (ACTDA) has mobilized teams to the site, with repairs already underway. Officials plan enhanced engineering fixes, including wind-flow channels, to fortify the barriers against future weather extremes.

Aburime condemned the misinformation as a politicized ploy by “misguided elements” to undermine the Soludo administration’s infrastructure drive. “This natural event isn’t unique to Anambra; it affected homes statewide,” he noted, urging residents to shun fake news and back the governor’s “progressive agenda.”

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The new Government House, a flagship project under Soludo, symbolizes Anambra’s urban renewal push since 2022. This episode highlights ongoing tensions between official narratives and rapid social media amplification in Nigeria’s digital news ecosystem.

Government spokespersons reiterated commitment to transparency, promising updates as repairs conclude.