Metro
Banana Island Building Collapse: Seven Rescued As Lagos Alleges Structure Lacks Permit
No fewer than seven persons were rescued from the rubble of a seven-storey building under construction that collapsed on Wednesday on First Avenue, in the Banana Island area of Ikoyi, Lagos State.
As of the time of filing this report, emergency responders, who stormed the scene for rescue operation, were said to still be searching for the whereabouts of a victim that had been trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed structure.
Construction workers, according to The Punch, were performing their daily tasks in the building that had been under construction for months when it suddenly caved in around 4.58pm.
It was learnt that while some of the workers at the site escaped unhurt with some sustaining varying degrees of injury, some other workers, who were unlucky, got trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed structure.
In a bid to rescue the trapped victims, some eyewitnesses, including construction workers at the site of adjoining buildings within the premises, raised the alarm and alerted relevant emergency agencies who mobilised to the scene to commence rescue operations.
Speaking with one of our correspondents, an eyewitness, who does not want his name mentioned in print for fear of victimisation, said the construction workers were on the sixth floor of the building attempting to lay the seventh floor when the tragedy struck.
He said, “As I speak with you, nobody has been confirmed dead and from the look of things, it is not certain that anybody will die. Only one victim is still trapped under the rubble of the collapsed structure and concerted efforts by emergency responders are ongoing to ensure that the person is rescued alive.
“As the rescue operation is ongoing, the emergency workers are confirming the number of people rescued in line with the registered number of people at the site and also with the involvement of the developers who are on the ground.
“At the site, three buildings were under construction and only one of the three buildings under construction collapsed. The workers were working on the sixth floor and were trying to lay the seventh floor when the building collapsed.”
PUNCH Metro gathered that the two other buildings under construction alongside the collapsed building are still intact but an integrity test would be conducted on the two buildings to prevent another collapse.
However, in a trending video showing moments shortly after the building caved in, eyewitnesses while lamenting over the development, were heard urging people to rush a rescued victim to the hospital for treatment.
The rescued victim, who was seen wailing after surviving the tragedy, said, “I have been going to work but this work is different. I thank God. Nah God I go dey call, I thank God oo.”
Reacting to the development, the General Manager, Lagos State Fire Service, Margaret Adeseye, said no fewer than seven persons were rescued with varying degrees of injury, adding that one person was still trapped.
Adeseye said, “The seven-storey building that collapsed is one out of the three high-rise structures under construction. The other two nine-storey are still standing.
“Seven persons were rescued alive with varying degrees of injury, while one person is still trapped as search-and-rescue operations are still ongoing until ground zero is achieved. An investigation has been ordered to ascertain the cause of the collapse.”
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, in a statement posted on its verified Facebook page, said no approval was given for the construction of the collapsed structure.
The ministry’s Deputy Director, Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi, in the statement, said an investigation had commenced into the incident.
The statement read, “An unapproved seven-floor building under construction has collapsed in Banana Island, Lagos State, this evening.
“Few who sustained injuries are being treated. There is no fatality. This unfortunate incident happened while casting was being done.
“The Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Tayo Bamgbose-Martins, was immediately on site to assess the situation and flag off the investigation. We ask members of the public to remain calm and expect further information from the ministry as we know more.”
However, the building that collapsed in Banana Island on Wednesday adds to a long list of building collapses recorded in the state in recent times.
On January 19, a storey building located at number 12 Aromire Avenue, opposite Dominos Pizza, Ikeja, suddenly collapsed around 6.45pm, killing one person in the process.
According to documents obtained from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Lagos State has recorded a staggering 115 building collapses in the past 10 years. In 2022 alone, the state recorded 20 incidents of building collapse.
Reacting, the pioneer President of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild, Kunle Awobodu, said the guild had commenced its own inquiry to ascertain the cause of the collapse.
He said, “Banana Island has a very high value when it comes to property development in the whole of Nigeria. It is a place where nobody anticipated substandard construction or envisaged substandard construction. This is the climax of the building collapse embarrassment, because of that peculiar location. That is our concern.”
Also commenting on the development, the Treasurer, Nigerian Institute of Builders, Lagos State, Philips Ayotunde, said lack of government oversight was responsible for the continuous building collapse episodes recorded in the state.
Philips said, “The government is not ready to do the right thing. If you say a building does not have approval, and yet, you see them commence work. They get to the first, second, third, fourth, all the way to the seventh floor, for heaven’s sake, a seven-storey building will not grow overnight. They have LASBCA officials in every district. What are the officials in that place doing?
“The government cannot exonerate themselves. Where were they when the building was under construction? It is a national shame. I have been getting messages from outside the country for the past hour. This is Banana Island we are talking about. Investors will lose confidence. Both local and international investors will begin to shy away from our real estate sector.”
The Punch
A member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Joe Igbokwe, has called for the dismissal of the soldier who resisted the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
The soldier had blocked Wike and officials of the FCTA from accessing a portion of land in the FCT.
The officer, claiming he was acting on instructions, told Wike that he would not be allowed into the property. Wike, however, questioned his authority, leading to a heated confrontation and name calling.
Reacting on Facebook, Igbokwe questioned who was behind the military officer in challenging the FCT Minister.
He wrote, “Who is this man in uniform? Of what meat is he fed? Who is beating the drum for him? This is unacceptable? His uniform has to be removed.”
The Lagos State Police Command has vehemently denied reports making the rounds that it was involved in the attempted release of a Lebanese national, who is in custody for the defilement of eight children.
The Police made the rebuttal via a statement signed by the Command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Abimbola Adebisi, on behalf of the Commissioner of Lagos, and made available to the National Association of Online Security News Publishers (NAOSNP).
In the statement titled, RE: OUTRAGE AS LAGOS POLICE ALLEGEDLY ATTEMPT TO RELEASE LEBANESE ACCUSED OF DEFILING EIGHT CHILDREN, the Police noted as follows:
“The Lagos State Police Command is not involved in any alleged attempt to release a Lebanese accused of defiling eight children.“
The story is therefore inaccurate and misleading.
The above case is being handled discreetly by the Gender Unit of the Command with the highest level of professionalism, diligence, and in line with international best practices, by specially trained gender case specialists.
Furthermore, the investigation strictly follows the standard operating procedures for cases involving children and young persons. The Gender Unit of the Command remains firmly committed to child protection and upholding due process in the pursuit of justice, without fear, favour, or sentiment toward anyone involved, whether a foreign national or Nigerian.
The case in question, which is under thorough investigation, does not involve any Lebanese, but rather a national of one of the Southern African countries. Every necessary step has been taken to ensure that justice is served in the matter. It is important to inform the public that both the biological mother of the child and the child herself made statements to the Police affirming that the child was neither molested nor defiled by the accused person.
However, the complaint by the child’s father, who has custody of the child, on his allegations against the accused person, is being carefully investigated to ensure justice in the matter and prevent any miscarriage of justice. The outcome of the investigation will definitely be made public.
The Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, has directed a discreet investigation into the allegations highlighted by the reporter in the report to ensure that no stone is left unturned in getting to the root of the matter . The writer of the story has also been contacted and briefed on the steps being taken by the Police to ensure that justice is achieved.
The Commissioner of Police furthermore wishes to reiterate his full confidence in the impartiality, competence, and high level of professionalism in the Officer-in-Charge of the Gender Unit, Lagos Police Command,Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Toyin Kazeem, who was officially out of the country on IACP in the United States when the matter was reported to the Gender Unit. Her exemplary track record, both locally and internationally, exemplifies her integrity, dedication, and commitment to handling gender-related and other sensitive cases. Under her leadership, the Gender Unit has brought pride to the Command and provided justice to numerous vulnerable persons, including women and children.
The Lagos State Police Command therefore urges the public and the media to continue to repose trust and confidence in the ability of the Command to deliver justice in all cases, particularly those involving children and other vulnerable groups. The outcome of this case will be made known to the public on completion of the investigation.
The family of former President Shehu Shagari has announced the death of his last surviving widow, Hajiya Saratu Shehu Shagari.
She passed away on Monday at the age of 89, after a prolonged illness.
A statement signed by the eldest son of the former president, Captain Mohammed Bala Shagari, confirmed that Saratu died at about 3 pm.
He described the late Hajiya Saratu as an embodiment of grace, humility, and quiet strength, who lived a life of dignity and service.
The family also said details of the funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
