Questions have emerged over the collapse of a three-storey commercial building in Wuse Zone 4, Abuja, just hours after it was sealed by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA).

The building collapsed on Monday night, prompting an emergency response after the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) received a distress call at about 7:20 p.m.

FEMD spokesperson, Nkechi Isa, said the Department of Development Control had earlier sealed the building and directed people to vacate the premises.

Although initial reports indicated that there were no casualties, emergency responders continued searching the rubble to determine whether anyone was trapped underneath.

The cause of the collapse had yet to be established as of press time.

The FCT Fire Service joined the search-and-rescue operation, while three ambulances were deployed to the scene. Responders were also awaiting an excavator to assist in clearing the debris and conducting a more extensive search.

The timing of the incident, however, has raised fresh concerns about building regulation and enforcement in the nation’s capital.

Stakeholders are particularly interested in knowing why the building was sealed, what violations were identified by the Department of Development Control and whether any structural defects were observed before the collapse.

The questions are considered important because the property had already attracted the attention of the regulatory authorities before it came down.

The Department of Development Control, which is responsible for monitoring and enforcing building regulations in the FCT, is therefore expected to provide details of its findings and the circumstances surrounding the sealing of the structure.

The incident has also renewed concerns over the frequency of building collapses in Abuja.

Stakeholders say reports of several partial or total building collapses this year should prompt a comprehensive review of construction monitoring and enforcement in the FCT.

The latest collapse occurred less than two weeks after a one-storey residential building comprising six blocks of flats collapsed at Kubwa 2/2, near Yellow Page, on August 28.

According to FEMD, two residents trapped in a ground-floor apartment were rescued and taken to Kubwa General Hospital, where they were reportedly in stable condition.

With the latest incident, stakeholders are asking a broader question: what becomes of investigations conducted after building collapses in the FCT?

They argue that every collapse should result in a documented investigation capable of establishing the cause, identifying breaches and determining responsibility, rather than ending with the evacuation of victims and removal of debris.

The FEMD has urged members of the public to stay away from the Wuse Zone 4 site to allow emergency responders and security personnel to carry out their operations.