No fewer than five people have lost their lives following the collapse of a building in the Durumi 3 area of Abuja, near the busy Gudu Market.
The tragic incident happened at about 9:00 a.m. on Saturday and immediately drew panic and confusion in the neighbourhood as residents and emergency responders raced against time to rescue those trapped beneath the debris.
Officials involved in the emergency operation confirmed that several victims were successfully pulled from the rubble during the rescue exercise.
Speaking on behalf of the agencies coordinating the operation, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, the Mandate Secretary for Health and Human Services in the Federal Capital Territory, disclosed that a total of 15 persons were recovered from the collapsed structure.
According to her, nine victims were rescued alive and taken for medical attention, while five others were confirmed dead at the scene or shortly after recovery. She added that one additional victim remained in critical condition.
Fasawe further revealed that preliminary investigations carried out by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria pointed to possible compromise in the quality of materials used for the construction.
She stated that early findings suggested the developer may have used substandard cement mixtures during the building process, a factor authorities believe could have contributed to the collapse.
The FCT official also used the opportunity to caution property developers and residents against bypassing building regulations and approval processes.
She urged all developers within the Federal Capital Territory to obtain the necessary permits and approvals from the FCT Development Control Department before embarking on construction projects, stressing that adherence to safety standards remains essential in preventing avoidable disasters.
Meanwhile, rescue operations at the scene continued as emergency teams worked to ensure no victims remained trapped under the debris.
Authorities also confirmed that investigations into the exact cause of the collapse are ongoing.
