Victims of the collapsed building on Adeniji Adele Road in Isale Eko, Lagos Island, were given a quit notice but chose to ignore it.

This is according to a source from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (who spoke with The Punch).

Several individuals were taken to the hospital after the building collapsed in the early hours of Thursday, prompting an emergency response from officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, the Nigeria Police, and other rescue agencies.

The source, who preferred to remain anonymous, said the building had been in a state of distress and was previously marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency before it eventually collapsed.

“The building is distressed and defused. It was marked by LABSCA long ago, before it collapsed, but LASEMA moved in early this morning.”

The source also mentioned, “Our findings also revealed that the tenants were served a notice to quit, but they refused to leave.”

Another official from the agency stated that no one remained trapped in the rubble as excavation continued, although the tight spacing of buildings posed challenges.

“You know how Lagos Island houses are. That is why it is difficult to use our equipment, and we have resorted to manual excavation until we can move them in. But for now, there is no one trapped in the rubble.”

Updates from LASTMA’s verified X handle confirmed that those trapped had been rescued and transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.

“There is a report of an overnight collapsed building along Adeniji Adele Road, at Isale Eko. LASTMA personnel, other emergency responders and men of the Nigeria Police Force are all on the ground. Traffic flow is currently not affected along the corridor as our personnel are firmly at the location for traffic monitoring. Victims rescued from the building have been taken to the hospital for treatment,” LASTMA stated.

While the total number of casualties has not been confirmed, rescue operations continue at the site.

To manage movement around the area, LASTMA announced a traffic diversion.

“Our officials have diverted traffic from Zenith back through Oba’s Palace to make use of Enu Owa to their various destinations,” the agency added.

The Lagos State House of Assembly has announced plans to establish a modern correctional service centre. The initiative, encapsulated in the proposed “Lagos State Correctional Service Bill 2025,” was presented at the plenary on Thursday.

Initiated by the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, the bill seeks to provide a comprehensive framework for both custodial and non-custodial measures, adopting a more effective and humane approach to corrections while emphasising the rehabilitation and reintegration of offenders into society. With a focus on reducing recidivism rates and fostering safer communities, the proposed legislation will prioritise training and rehabilitation programmes for inmates.

The bill includes several provisions to ensure health and safety standards in correctional facilities, adequate measures for juvenile offenders, and the integration of modern surveillance technologies, including the installation of CCTV.

During a discussion of the bill, Hon. Oladipo Ajomale, Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, Public Petitions, and the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), provided insights into its objectives. He highlighted that the bill aligns with international best practices in correctional services, aiming to reform and rehabilitate offenders rather than merely punishing them. Ajomale noted that the shift of correctional services from the exclusive list to the concurrent list in Nigeria marks a significant step towards modernising the correctional system.

Majority Leader Hon. Noheem Adams commended the Speaker for the ingenuity and necessity of the bill, declaring that if passed into law, it will cater to the mental and physical welfare of inmates, ensure their proper hygiene and adequate accommodation, and create an environment conducive to rehabilitation.

Similarly, Hon. Abiodun Tobun added that the proposed legislation would provide inmates with vocational training opportunities and offer them a second chance at life. He called for strict ethical conduct from superintendents and the Director General overseeing the operations.

Hon. Femi Saheed remarked on the bill’s significance to the Lagos economy, stating, “Lagos has the highest Gross Domestic Product (GDP); if the state is to capitalise on this, we must have a judicial system that supports the bill.” He described the establishment of the correctional centre as a transformative opportunity within the state’s landscape.

On her part, Hon. Omolara Olumegbon reiterated the necessity for a well-regulated correctional system and the importance of continuous staff training. Other lawmakers echoed similar sentiments, affirming that the bill would assist in decongesting existing correctional centres, provide life-changing opportunities for inmates, and offer structured support for vulnerable young people at risk of criminal behaviours. There was a unanimous call for the swift passage of the bill into law.

Speaker Obasa expressed appreciation for the members’ insightful contributions and pointed out that the commendation wasn’t for him only, but for the entire House, describing the bill as ‘the House’s baby’. He stressed the need for the state to back its justice system with appropriate infrastructure, and that for justice to be effective, adequate support facilities must be provided.

“This bill will ensure a safer, more reformed society and deliver lasting value to the people of Lagos,” Obasa stated. He subsequently committed the bill to the House Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights, and LASIEC, directing them to report back in three weeks.

Datti Baba-Ahmed, who was the vice-presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 elections, says the opposition coalition needs to take extraordinary steps to remove President Bola Tinubu from power in the 2027 elections.

On Wednesday, opposition politicians who want to defeat the president introduced the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as their platform to gather support for the next election.

Among those leading the campaign to remove Tinubu from office are former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, Rotimi Amaechi, former minister of transportation, Peter Obi, the LP’s 2023 presidential candidate, and Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna.

During an interview with Trust TV, Baba-Ahmed referred to Tinubu as a political force who waited 16 years before becoming Nigeria’s president.

He pointed out that none of the coalition members appear ready to give up their political ambitions for the country’s benefit.

“I don’t yet see anyone in this coalition who can scheme and plan over 16 years. With all due respect to Atiku, he has contested consistently—this will be the seventh time,” Baba-Ahmed said.

“But tell me: is there anyone else in the coalition who will say, ‘Let it be the other person, and I will support them’? I’m yet to see that. Everyone seems only interested in their candidacy.”

Baba-Ahmed said Tinubu supported former President Muhammadu Buhari and eventually succeeded him.

“He stayed committed for 16 years and took it in 2023,” he said.

“Tinubu gave Atiku the ACN in 2007. Gave it to Ribadu in 2011. Backed Buhari in 2015. And waited until 2023 to take it himself. I’m saying: to defeat this phenomenon called Tinubu, you must do the unthinkable.

“If this coalition—which I recognise—thinks it’s business as usual, it won’t work. It has to be less about individual ambition and more about Nigeria. More action, less talk. Because talk is cheap.”