A building collapse in the Durumi 3 area of Abuja, close to the popular Gudu Market, has claimed the lives of five persons, while several others were rescued from the debris.
The tragic incident occurred at about 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, throwing the area into confusion as emergency responders and residents rushed to the scene to assist victims trapped beneath the rubble.
Mandate Secretary for Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Adedolapo Fasawe, confirmed the casualty figures while speaking on behalf of rescue agencies involved in the operation.
According to her, a total of 15 persons were pulled from the collapsed structure during the rescue exercise.
She disclosed that nine victims were rescued alive, while five persons lost their lives in the disaster.
One other victim, she added, remains in critical condition and is receiving medical attention.
Dr. Fasawe revealed that preliminary investigations conducted by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria suggested that substandard construction materials may have contributed to the collapse.
She explained that early findings indicated the developer might have compromised the quality of the cement mixture used for the building project.
The FCT official urged residents and property developers to strictly comply with building regulations and obtain necessary approvals from the FCT Development Control Department before embarking on construction projects in the nation’s capital.
Emergency responders continued evacuation and assessment operations at the scene as authorities intensified investigations into the cause of the collapse.
