Tragedy struck in Yaba, Lagos, on Friday night when a three-storey building under construction collapsed, leaving two people dead and several others trapped.
Acting Head of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Lagos Operations Office, Mrs. Ibitayo Adenike, confirmed the incident in a statement on Saturday.
According to her, the building, located at No. 333 Borno Street, Alagomeji, came down at about 8:30 p.m., trapping workers on site.
“Four men have been rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment,” Adenike said. She noted, however, that the number of people still trapped could not be confirmed until the debris was fully cleared.
Emergency responders, including officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Nigeria Police Force, and other rescue teams, were on ground as search and rescue operations continued into the night.
The incident has once again raised concerns over building standards and compliance with safety regulations in Lagos, a state that has witnessed repeated cases of structural collapse in recent years.