Five die, two rescued in Lagos three-storey building collapse

• Police confirm arrest of developer

Five bodies have been recovered from the rubbles of the collapse three-storey located at Yaba, Lagos State on Saturday, February 12, 2022, while two persons were rescued.

The incident came a few months after the collapse of a 21-storey building that claimed the lives of 45 persons at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, area of the state.

It was gathered that a section of the building, which is still under construction collapsed on a building beside it.

An eyewitness said a part of the building had collapsed last year. She disclosed that the construction went ahead despite the collapse as no authority from the Lagos State government weighed into the matter.

When contacted, Director-General (DG), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Oluwafemi Oke-Osanyitolu, told The Guardian that the agency was working to rescue more people, who might be trapped in the rubbles,

He said:  “Upon arrival at the incident scene, a three-storey building under construction was discovered to have collapsed.

“Further investigation revealed that the construction workers were on site when the structure came down.

“With quick deployment of the agency’s heavy-duty equipment, two male adults were pulled out, while three bodies were recovered at 11:00.p.m on Saturday.

MEANWHILE, the Lagos State government, yesterday, arrested the developer of the three-storey building. Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr. Idris Salako, in a statement, said that twice the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) sealed off the site in 2021 for non-compliance with building regulations, after which the site was abandoned, but the developer later broke the government seal, sneaked into the site and recommenced construction without official authorisation.

“The developer in charge of the site has since been arrested and handed over to police, while rescue operation is ongoing,” he said.

Also, Zonal Coordinator, Southwest, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye, said that the building was said to have given signs when some part of it began to fall from it on Thursday.

“It was gathered that when one of the neighbours called their attention to it, they told him off that it was as a result of work going on.

“However, close observations revealed that the building had tilted forward,” Farinloye said.

“Proper investigation on the case of the collapse will be carried out by the state government to determine the cause of the collapse after the emergency phase at the site.

Also, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Adekunle Ajisebutu also confirmed the arrest of the developer.

He said: “The engineer has been arrested and he is with the Lagos State Task Force, we will take the necessary steps.”