AfriPulse
In the early hours of Sunday, a third body was recovered from the rubble of a three-storey building under construction that collapsed on Friday night in Yaba, a bustling suburb of Lagos.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 8:30 p.m. at No. 333 Borno St, Alagomeji, Yaba, has left a grim toll: three dead and four rescued, according to Acting Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Operations Office, Mrs. Ibitayo Adenike, in an interview with newsmen .
The collapse adds to Lagos’ troubling history of building failures, a recurring issue often linked to substandard construction practices, lax regulation, and the use of inferior materials.
Over the past decade, the city has witnessed numerous such tragedies, including the 2021 collapse of a 21-storey building in Ikoyi, which claimed over 40 lives, and a 2019 school building collapse in Lagos Island that killed 20 people, mostly children.
These incidents have fueled public outcry and calls for stricter enforcement of building codes, yet the problem persists, with Yaba’s latest disaster underscoring the urgency of reform.
Adenike confirmed that search and rescue operations are ongoing, with emergency responders working tirelessly to locate any remaining survivors.
The effort involves a coordinated response from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Building Control Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, and other agencies. The scene remains a somber reminder of the risks posed by unchecked urban development in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
As investigations into the cause of the collapse begin, questions linger about accountability and the measures needed to prevent further loss of life in a city where rapid growth often outpaces safety standards.
Source: NationalAccordNewspaper | Read the Full Story…
