The Chief Judge of Ekiti State, Justice Oyewole Adeyeye, had a narrow escape on Wednesday, July 12, 2023, when a section of the state high court complex collapsed on him while he was in his office.
The incident occurred around the close of work on Wednesday. The judge was still in his chamber at the time of the collapse.
The incident may have been caused by structural defects worsened by the recent heavy rainfalls.
No life was lost during the collapse, but the Chief Judge reportedly sustained serious injuries as a section of the office collapsed on him.
It took serious efforts from workers before the judge was rescued from the rubble.
He is currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in the state.
Efforts to reach the court registrar to give more details on the matter proved abortive as the registrar through a staff member asked journalists to return later.
The building collapse has raised concerns about the safety and maintenance of public infrastructure in the state.
The Chief Judge is one of the most respected and influential judicial officers in the state. He was appointed by former Governor Kayode Fayemi in 2019.
We wish Justice Adeyeye a speedy recovery and hope that he will resume his duties soon.
We also hope that the state government will take urgent steps to ensure that public buildings are safe and well-maintained to prevent such incidents from happening again.
