Mid-afternoon, a 21 storey highrise building collapsed in the heart of Ikoyi, Lagos. The current death toll is standing at 4, with several injured and unaccounted for. There were reportedly around 100 people working on the construction site when it crumbled to the ground.
Local residents heard loud rumblings and cracking sounds and some feared there was an earthquake happening. Rescue operations are still underway with efforts going on around the clock. Lagos Police commissioner Hakeem Odumosu confirmed the deaths but added that they had also pulled several survivors from the debris.
Building Collapse in Lagos – a Common Refrain
Obodo Naija has reported several times on building collapses across Nigeria. Bringing to light the scourge of these preventable tragedies. There are many reasons that buildings collapse in Nigeria. They stem mostly from shoddy construction and lack of inspections and transparency from builders and developers.
Developers in their haste to meet the housing demand across the sprawling metropolis of Lagos and elsewhere, tend to cut corners and even allegedly bribe local officials so they can avoid inspection and violation fines.
The lack of a substantial building code enforcement agency and a proper method to cite and penalize building owners, developers and builders add to the dilemma of buildings collapsing in Lagos and around the country.
What can be Done?
The recent building collapse in Lagos, will likely not be the last. It is recommended that the builders and developers that have had collapses or any other major issue, should be called out and held accountable. This could mean lawsuits, fines, or imprisonment.
Updates will be provided as more information comes available.
