The Lagos State Government has vowed to investigate the collapse of a three-storey building in the Alakija area and ensure that anyone found responsible is prosecuted, while urging residents to comply with evacuation directives issued on unsafe buildings.
The assurance was given on Friday by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, who addressed journalists at the site of the incident on behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu.
Expressing sympathy to the bereaved families, Omotoso described the building collapse as a tragic incident.
“Our first duty is to commiserate with the families who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate incident. On behalf of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, we sympathise with them and pray that such a tragedy never occurs again,” he said.
Providing an update on the rescue operation, the commissioner disclosed that emergency responders pulled 27 people alive from the rubble, while nine others died despite efforts to save them through the night.
“By the grace of God, we have been able to rescue 27 people. Unfortunately, we lost nine persons and this is very sad. We share the pain of the affected families,” he said.
Omotoso revealed that the collapsed structure had previously been declared distressed and marked for evacuation, but some occupants allegedly returned after leaving the premises.
“As you can see, these buildings had been marked as distressed and people were asked to leave. Unfortunately, some residents returned after pretending to have moved out, leading to this tragic outcome,” Omotoso said.
He said the government would proceed with the demolition of other defective buildings identified in the area to avert future disasters.
“All the buildings that have been identified as defective will go down. We cannot wait until another tragedy occurs before taking action. The protection of lives remains our priority,” he said.
The commissioner also criticised the construction and occupation of buildings beneath high-tension electricity lines, describing the practice as a violation of safety standards.
“It is not done in any civilised society. Such developments show disregard for safety regulations and contempt for the law. Government will continue to clamp down on such violations,” he said.
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According to Omotoso, investigations into the cause of the collapse are already underway, adding that the owners of the building are being investigated and anyone found culpable would be brought to justice.
“The owners of the building are under investigation. Anybody found complicit in this tragedy will face the law. They will be prosecuted because no one is above the law,” he said.
He added that while most of those rescued escaped with non-life-threatening injuries, victims requiring further treatment had been transferred to hospital.
Omotoso also commended personnel of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, the police, the military, neighbourhood safety officials and other emergency responders for their overnight efforts at the scene.
“I must commend all our emergency responders who worked tirelessly throughout the night to save lives and bring the situation under control,” he said.
He further appealed to residents to always put safety ahead of financial or business interests.
“The most important lesson from this incident is that nobody should prioritise livelihood over life. Once life is lost, everything is lost. No business is worth risking human lives for,” he added.
The building, which accommodated shops and other business activities, collapsed in the Alakija area, prompting the activation of the Lagos State emergency response system.
Initial reports released by the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency indicated that 26 people were rescued alive, while eight others, including a baby girl, died.
However, the latest update from the state government confirmed that the number of survivors had increased to 27, while the death toll rose to nine.