Authorities have confirmed the death of two people in a two-storey building collapse in the Nigerian capital city, Abuja. Many individuals were trapped inside the debris.
In the wee hours of Wednesday, the event took place on Lagos Street in the Garki village neighbourhood.
Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), issued an arrest warrant for the building’s owner on Thursday.
37 additional people were evacuated and sent to the hospital, according to the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FCT FEMA), which also confirmed the two fatalities in a statement.
On Thursday, Mr. Wike toured the destroyed structure and issued his directive. Additionally, he requested that Adesola Olusade, the Permanent Secretary of the FCT Administration, reimburse the hospital patients’ medical bills.
According to a social media post by Ikharo Attah, a supporter of former Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Mohammed Bello, the rescue effort is still ongoing and 37 people have already been transported to the hospital.
Two people have been verified dead, according to Atah, who also shared a video of the horrific incident.
A local named Sunny Njoku confirmed the occurrence but stated he had no further information.
“It’s true. I just passed the place now and I saw many people at the scene. I couldn’t wait because I am rushing to the hospital,” he simply said.
While witnesses have been posting comments about the incident on social media, the authorities have not yet responded to it or filed this complaint.
The minister also urged the Department of Development Control, FCTA, to urgently resettle the residents of the community.
REPORTERS AT LARGE recalls that there have been a number of building collapses recently in the nation’s capital.
However, this is the first incidence to occur under current FCT Minister Nyesom Wike.
Wike had vowed to start demolishing houses that had been constructed unlawfully in his inaugural speech at the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) headquarters on Monday.
Mariya Mahmud, Minister of the FCT (state), stood by Wike’s side as he pledged to take action against any obstructions to the Abuja master plan.
“People who are distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad… Refuse everywhere. Those being paid for refuse collection, what are they doing? So, we must also sit down to look at different ways of waste disposal. It is very key. All those people distorting the master plan of Abuja, too bad.. If you know you have built where you are not supposed to build, it will go down, be you a minister or an ambassador.
“If you know you have developed where you are not supposed to develop your house must go down. Those who have taken over the green area to build, sorry the green area must come back. So, If you know you have anybody who is involved, anyone that has taken over the green areas and the parks to restaurants, we won’t accept that. Sorry, if your father or your mother has done that, there is nothing I can do.”
