Update On Lagos Collapsed Building: So Far 18 Persons Dead

Company Admits Structural Defect

The five-storey building under construction which collapsed early Tuesday morning in Lekki area of Lagos has led to the death of 18 people so far, including a woman and her child.

The incident occurred at Horizon 1, Lekki Gardens in Ikate, at about 3am when it was raining heavily. Many workers believed to be sleeping in the building were trapped in the rubble.

According to sources, most of the victims were workers on the site and squatters who slept in the building after giving a tip to the security men. 13 people were rescued from the rubble by the Lagos Emergency Management Agency and NEMA. It was also learnt that the land was reclaimed in 2012 while the construction started in 2014.

Lekki Gardens, the owners of the building, claimed to have ordered stoppage of work in January at the site when it was discovered that substandard materials were being used. As at Tuesday evening, bodies were still being retrieved from the building.

Some of the victims are Beninoise. Bereaved relatives and friends wailed as bodies were brought out.

It was also learnt that a woman and her two children who came to Nigeria on Monday from Cotonou were among those who remained trapped in the rubble last night.

She was said to have travelled to Lagos since her husband had not visited the family for some time.

According to an iron bender, Fidelis Anjolo, the woman did not believe her husband’s story that he was being owed as a result of which he could not travel back to see his family.