At least four more dead bodies have been recovered by the search and rescue operatives from the rubble of the seven-storey building that collapsed at Oba Idowu Oniru Street, Lekki, Lagos State.
This was disclosed by the Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu.
Truthlive.net had reported earlier thay Oke-Osanyintolua disclosed in a statement on Monday that emergency responders had recovered two corpses at the scene of the incident on Sunday.
According to him, “The agency alongside other first responders has been working for over 24 hours at the seven-storey building which collapsed yesterday. Another four bodies have been extricated from the rubble bringing the fatalities to six. The process is ongoing.”
Also, the Lagos Territorial Coordinator, National Emergency Management Agency, Ibrahim Farinloye confirmed that four corpses including that of an adult male were recovered.
Ibrahim said, “Six corpses including that of an elderly man have been recovered from the rubble as recovery efforts continue.”
It was gathered that some persons were sleeping in the seven-storey building under construction when the building collapsed at about 3am on Sunday.
Although, some of While some of the occupants successfully escaped before the final collapse others who were unlucky, were trapped in the rubble of the collapsed building.
Emergency responders including officials of the LASEMA, the NEMA, and the police, among others, had been engaging in a search and rescue operation to rescue the trapped victims.
Meanwhile, following the incident, the state Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Dr Idris Salako, had in a statement, ordered the arrest of the developer and other professionals involved in the collapsed building.
However, a series of building collapses that claimed the lives of residents had been recorded in the state.
Angered by these tragic developments, residents alongside experts in the building industry had slammed developers, among others, for using substandard materials and not conforming to standard building regulations in Lagos State.
Also, the Lagos State Government, particularly the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development, had been widely criticized over the reoccurring building collapse in the state which has claimed lots of lives.
Following the heated criticisms, the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso announced Salako’s resignation.
According to him, the commissioner’s resignation was part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s efforts to restructure the ministry and its agencies.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu thanks the Commissioner for his services to the state and wishes him success in his future endeavours.
“The Governor warns all players in the sector to respect the law or face the consequences of any indiscretion, no matter who the perpetrators are,” the statement said.