Nigeria Church Collapse: Up To 160 Dead, Says Hospital Director

Up to 160 people were killed when a church roof collapsed during a service in southern Nigeria on Saturday, according to Associated Press.

Hundreds of people were inside the Reigners Bible Church in the southern city of Uyo, Akwa Ibom state. They were attending a service for the ordination of a bishop.

Local hospital director Etete Peters of the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital said morgues are overflowing and the final death toll likely will be much higher. Many are still thought to be trapped beneath metal girders and corrugated iron roof that collapsed on top of the packed building. 

The governor of Akwa Ibom state, Udom Emmanuel, was present at the service and tweeted that he "shared in the agony of the moment".

In a series of tweets, he said that he had personally supervised rescue operations, and declared Sunday, December 11 and Monday, December 12 to be days of mourning.

Other news sources put the deatht toll at 60 adding it could increase as the rescue operation continues and the debris is removed by a crane.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari said: "This evening I spoke with Gov Udom Emmanuel to commiserate with him on the tragic collapse of the Reigners Bible Church building in Uyo.

"I asked the Governor to convey to the people of Akwa Ibom the deep sorrow felt by me, and by the entire country, over this tragedy.

"I pray that the souls of the deceased will rest in peace, and that the injured will experience quick recovery.

"Any tragedy that affects any part of Nigeria affects all of us. Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with the people of Akwa Ibom."

The state government said it would investigate to see if building standards had been compromised. 

The multi-storey building of the Synagogue Church of All Nations collapsed in Lagos in 2014, killing 116.