Nine people killed in Lagos building collapse incident

Lagos Residential Building Collapse: 27 Rescued, Nine Killed

A three-storey residential building in Lagos, Nigeria’s financial capital, collapsed on Thursday, resulting in at least nine fatalities and 27 injuries of varying severity. The incident occurred in the Alakija neighbourhood near the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town.

According to authorities, rescue teams from multiple agencies, including LASEMA, NEMA, and the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, responded to the scene immediately. By Friday morning, rescue operations had concluded, with nine bodies recovered, including four adults found dead prior to emergency responders’ arrival and five additional victims, one of whom was a two-year-old girl.

The cause of the collapse has yet to be determined. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about building safety in Lagos, where rapid urbanization, substandard construction materials, and inadequate regulatory enforcement have been linked to frequent collapses.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered the Lagos State Building Control Agency to conduct structural integrity assessments on adjoining buildings and enforce compliance with building codes in the area. The agency will also investigate the incident to identify potential causes and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Source: Al Jazeera