November 02, (THEWILL) – Lagos State governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered an investigation into the 21-storey building that collapsed on Monday on Gerrard Road in the Ikoyi area of the state.
A statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, assured that the report of the investigations would be made public in due course, even as it urged for calm over the incident.
“Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered an investigation into the incident. A report of the investigations will be made public in due course”, he said.
Omotoso noted that the deputy governor, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, had visited the site in the company of other officials, directing security agents to cordon off the site to facilitate rescue efforts.
According to him, those who accompanied the deputy governor the site of the collapsed building include the Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako; Commissioner for Special Duties, Mr Bamgbose- Martins; Special Adviser (SA) on Urban Development, Mr Ganiyu Adele Ayuba; Special Adviser, GIS and Physical Planning, Dr Olajide Babatunde; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mrs Abiola Kosegbe as well as General Manager, LASEMA Dr Femi Oke-Osanyintolu.
“Lagos Rescue Unit (LRU), Lagos State Fire Service and Lagos State Ambulance Services (LASAMBUS) are on the site, battling to save the lives of those under the rubble. Three persons have been rescued, even as the operations to save more lives continue.
“The General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency, Arch. Gbolahan Oki, was also at the scene assessing the site for any likely damage to the surrounding structures”, Omotoso stated.
The actual number of people, who were in the tower, as at the time the incident occurred, was yet to be determined. But the Lagos state government claimed that, with the combined efforts of the Lagos Rescue Unit (LRU), Lagos State Fire Service and LASAMBUS, not less than three victims were rescued, while rescue operations continued.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, confirmed the death of five persons, adding that three others were rescued. However, the South-West Coordinator of the National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye, said four corpses were recovered from the building, adding that four were rescued.
Reports also had that the owner of the property was one of those trapped.
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has sent a condolence message to families of the victims of the unfortunate incident.
The President, in a statement issued last night by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, shared the sad moment with people and government of Lagos State.
He urged authorities concerned to step up efforts in the rescue operations, saying emergency institutions, including hospitals, should provide the necessary support to safeguard lives of the rescued.
The President, therefore, prayed for God’s intervention in the ongoing rescue operations.
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