On Saturday, a three-storey building under construction on Akanbi Crescent in the Yaba neighborhood of Lagos collapsed, killing three people and trapping roughly four others, including a security guard and construction workers.
A worker, named only as Sunday, was recovered from the rubble, according to reports.
The tragedy happened around 3.30 p.m., just three months after a 21-story building in Ikoyi, owned by the late Femi Osibona, Managing Director of Fourscore Heights Limited, fell, trapping over 50 people.
Over 40 people were killed, including Osibona, his personal assistant Onyinye Enekwe, and a friend, Wale Bob-Oseni.
A preliminary report had blamed the Ikoyi incident on violation of the approved building plan initially designed as eight storeys and poor quality of concrete materials.
Some residents and eyewitnesses, who spoke to one of our correspondents on the Yaba building collapse, also fingered compromise in the quality of the materials.
Sunday, one of the survivors, explained that the building had shown signs of distress and he reported it to his boss. He said the boss told him and other workers to ignore the signs and keep working.
He stated, “Even today (Saturday), as we were working, the building was shaking, but our oga (boss) said we should continue (working). We even agreed that after today, we would not come back here again to work. I thank God for saving me from this mess, but my phone is still inside.”
A 16-year-old, who identified himself only as Shan, said he had gone to buy food for one of the construction workers and was about to enter when it suddenly collapsed.
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It was gathered that about five people were still trapped in the rubble but two corpses were later recovered.
He said, “I went to buy food for someone that was inside. When I came back and wanted to go in, the building suddenly collapsed. Other people are inside there. They are up to four or five. I thank God for my life.”
An eyewitness present, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said a part of the building had collapsed sometime last year.
He said, “This was similar to what happened last year when they started erecting the building. A section of the building caved in and destroyed some cars parked by the fence.
“The Lagos State Government was invited and they came, but I don’t know whether they told them to stop work or not. After a few weeks, work continued and nothing has been done by the authorities since then until today (Saturday) when the building just crumbled on the workers.”
Another eyewitness, who identified himself only as Samuel, said the incident happened so fast.
He stated, “I was upstairs so I could see as the building crumbled. Before then, I could hear some chatter from the building; probably by the workers. I am sure they are still under there. I just pray they are not dead by now because no substantial effort has been made to rescue them.”
