A seven-storey building under construction in the Lekki area of Lagos state has collapsed in the early hours of Sunday morning. Channels Television reported that the building is situated at Oba Idowu Oniru Street by Ave Maria Hospital, new Sandfield Bus Stop, Lekki.
The incident has been confirmed by the Permanent Secretary (PS), Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, and Lagos Territorial Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ibrahim Farinloye.
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The officials of the Lagos State government also confirmed that six persons were trapped and assured search and rescue operations have commenced at the site.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency said it received a distress call at the location at midnight where six people were reported to have been trapped and activated its response.
“Upon arrival at the scene of the incident, an uncompleted 7-storey building undergoing construction was found to have collapsed. Six people are reported to be trapped under the rubbles of the collapsed structure,” Oke-Osanyintolu said.
“The Agency’s heavy-duty equipment excavator will be required for the rescue of the trapped victims. We have activated the Lagos State Response plan. Operation ongoing.”
In its report of the incident, Channels Television’s correspondent, Dare Idowu, who was at the scene of the collapsed building observed that it had earlier been marked with a sealed sign by the state government. The site had been marked as a restricted zone by the Lagos State Building Control Agency since February 2021.
Nigeria has been plagued with cases buildings collapsing in recent times.
In August, a three-storey building collapsed in Abuja, the nations capital, trapping three people.
In May, a building collapsed in the Ago Palace Way area in Lagos, and another three-storey building collapsed in Ebute-Metta Lagos, killing at least 8 persons.
About 44 people lost their lives last November when a high-rise building crumbled in Ikoyi Lagos.
Nnamdi Maduakor is a Writer, Investor and Entrepreneur
