In the Sabo neighbourhood of Osogbo, the capital of Osun State, an incomplete story structure collapsed, trapping at least three persons beneath the debris; two more were rescued from the wreckage.
The structure, which was frequently used by criminals for illegal purposes, fell on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at around eight in the morning.
Alaran, a local and member of the Forest Security Service and Nigeria Hunters, reported hearing a tremendous noise in the community as the building abruptly collapsed.
“This morning (Sunday), between 7:30 and 8:am, the incident took place. There was a loud noise. There is no one living in the residence. However, some individuals typically hide there to gamble or smoke. He continued, “Some people were trapped.
Three persons are still trapped beneath the decking, according to a statement from the Osun State Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) spokeswoman Kehinde Adeleke. Two people have already been rescued.
Adeleke stated, “People are breaking the decking and connected rods with everything they can physically break while we wait for the crane.”
Security personnel from the NSCDC, the state police commissioner and his staff, representatives from the Osun State Environmental Management Agency (OSEMA), and other public servants were present at the scene to guarantee the victims’ protection at the time this report was filed.
In addition, a government delegation headed by Hon. Mayowa Adejorin, Commissioner for Environment, was present to evaluate the damage and plan the government’s response.
When the crew toured the area with Hon. Emiola Fakeye, the Governor’s Special Adviser on OSEMA, they found another building that needed repair. The group is collaborating with other pertinent ministries to stop a repeat of this.
“After inspecting the collapsed building, we found that no building drawings were present. In order to carry out the governor’s order, we are contacting other relevant MDAs, said Hon. Adejorin.
Recall that the NSCDC had previously declared the structure to be unsightly and suggested that the task force and the environmental organisation conduct a raid on it in order to clean the neighbourhood.
Sen. Ademola Adeleke, the governor of the state, expressed her displeasure with the development and issued a warning to developers and locals not to build homes without approved building plans. She even threatened to bulldoze subparly constructed homes that endanger public safety.
In a statement released in Osogbo by Mallam Olawale Rasheed, the governor’s spokeswoman, stressed the significance of obtaining building plan permissions in order to guarantee construction standards and prevent avoidable deaths and injuries.
“A building plan is not an optional step in the construction process as it prevents substandard houses that frequently collapse and pose safety risks to occupants and the environment,” the governor said.
“I am using this medium to direct the Ministry of Lands to step up enforcement of approved building plans by developers and residents. Our officials must go to the estates and development areas to ensure houses are constructed according to approved plans.
“We need to save lives by ensuring that houses are built to standard. We must also be proactive by testing the strength of houses before a human tragedy occurs. Substandard houses, once identified, should be pulled down before they collapse.
“We will sanction those who refuse to comply with the condition of approved building plans. I further direct relevant agencies to pull down substandard houses before they cause harm. We must not wait for lives to be lost before we act,” Governor Adeleke affirmed.
“I am using this medium to direct the Ministry of Lands to step up enforcement of approved building plans by developers and residents. Our officials must go to the estates and development areas to ensure houses are constructed according to approved plans.
“We need to save lives by ensuring that houses are built to standard. We must also be proactive by testing the strength of houses before a human tragedy occurs. Substandard houses, once identified, should be pulled down before they collapse.
“We will sanction those who refuse to comply with the condition of approved building plans. I further direct relevant agencies to pull down substandard houses before they cause harm. We must not wait for lives to be lost before we act,” Governor Adeleke affirmed.
