ABUJA, Nigeria — A tragic collapse of a two-storey building at Lagos Crescent, Garki Village in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, of Abuja, which resulted in two deaths and 37 hospitalizations, has sparked immediate calls for government intervention and accountability.
The FCT minister, Nyesom Wike, visited the collapse site on Wednesday, August 23, 2023, and ordered the “immediate identification and arrest” of the property owner.
Speaking at the scene, he lamented the failure of FCT administration to resettle original residents as planned and cited this as an example of “why government regulations on building plans are crucial.”
“It is unfortunate that we woke this morning to the very disturbing news of this building collapse,” Wike said. “It is not what we contemplated. Let me thank the agencies particularly NEMA and FEMA that have supported us to rescue not less than 37 lives. Government will, of course, take over this area and make sure no further development is carried out here.”
Rescue efforts were hampered initially by a lack of equipment, including excavators, making initial efforts purely manual and arduously slow.
Dr. Abbas Idriss, the Director General of FCT Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, indicated that although 37 victims were taken to various hospitals, “others are reportedly still trapped.”
“The victims were evacuated to various medical facilities in Abuja,” Idriss added. “Rescue operations on but slowly due to ongoing rain. They are making frantic efforts at getting an excavator to remove people from the rubble.”
Director, Department of Development Control, Mukhtar Galadima, emphasized that the building had been erected without planning approval, and was located in an area designated for resettlement.
He said, “The building is located within the Garki indigenous settlement. The building had two suspended floors, one used for commercial activities while the other floors were used as residential accommodation. The building caved in yesterday and 37 persons were rescued.”
Minister Wike has urged all stakeholders to cooperate with the government’s initiatives to prevent such tragedies in the future.
“When government says take building plan, it is not to suffer anybody but to make sure that everyone is protected,” he stressed.
It has been gathered that the victims were taken to various hospitals including the National Hospital, Asokoro, Nyanya, and Garki District Hospitals, Alliance Hospital and Zenith Hospital.
Wike has pledged that the government will cover all hospital bills for the victims and support ongoing rescue efforts.
This tragic event, coming amid heavy rains, has once again brought to the fore the challenges facing urban planning and building regulations in Nigeria’s rapidly expanding cities.
The Minister’s immediate call to action and governmental accountability signal a new urgency to address these longstanding issues.
