FOUR RELATIVES DIE AS THREE-STOREY BUILDING COLLAPSES IN ILORIN

Four members of the same family have lost their lives after part of a three-storey building collapsed in the Popo Giwa area of Ilorin, Kwara State, leaving eight members of the household trapped beneath the rubble.

The incident occurred at about 5am on Tuesday at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, close to Gogoro Mosque. Emergency responders were quickly mobilised to the location after receiving a distress call that people were trapped inside the collapsed structure.

Four members of the family were eventually rescued alive, while four others were recovered dead from beneath the debris. The survivors were taken to hospital for medical attention, while the bodies of those who died were also evacuated from the scene.

An eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, said the family’s father is a serving soldier, while the mother reportedly works as a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin. One of the children, identified as Firdaus, who was said to be the second-to-last child in the family, was among those rescued during the operation.

Rescue efforts continued as emergency personnel worked to locate those trapped under the collapsed section. An excavator was subsequently brought to the scene to remove heavy debris and create better access for the rescuers.

Several agencies participated in the operation, including the Kwara State Fire Service, State Emergency Management Agency, National Emergency Management Agency, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Red Cross, health officials and other emergency personnel. Ambulances were also deployed to transport the survivors and recover the deceased.

The Public Relations Officer of the Kwara State Fire Service, Hassan Adekunle, confirmed that four people died while another four were rescued alive. He said the fire service received information about the collapse around 5am and immediately deployed personnel to the scene.

Adekunle explained that the rescue operation required the involvement of several agencies because of the nature of the incident. He said authorities were also working to determine what caused the structure to collapse and assess the condition of the remaining portion of the building.

The Secretary of the Kwara State Emergency Management Agency, Magaji Saadudeen, also confirmed that eight people had been trapped in the building. He said the rescued victims were receiving treatment, while the bodies recovered from the rubble had been taken to the hospital.

The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, disclosed that it was the boys’ quarters section of the three-storey building that collapsed. He said the remaining part of the structure would be examined to determine whether it was safe, adding that everyone had been evacuated from the main building as a precaution.

Representing Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq at the scene, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, described the tragedy as unfortunate and sympathised with the affected family.

Olohungbebe noted that the accessibility of the area helped emergency responders reach the scene quickly and carry out the rescue operation. He therefore urged residents, property owners and developers to comply with building and town-planning regulations, particularly requirements concerning access routes to residential areas.

The commissioner also commended the various government agencies and emergency responders involved in the rescue operation, including the Ministries of Health and Environment, NEMA, SEMA, the fire service, civil defence, the Red Cross and the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria.

The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Babatunde Ladan, who monitored the rescue operation, also praised residents and emergency personnel for their prompt response. He disclosed that several ambulances were deployed to facilitate the evacuation of victims.

Ladan urged residents to take signs of structural weakness seriously and immediately leave buildings where they notice cracks, leakages or other indications of possible danger. He also advised developers to use quality construction materials and engage qualified professionals to supervise building projects.

Authorities said the exact cause of the collapse would be established after a proper assessment of the structure. They warned residents not to ignore signs of structural distress and urged them to prioritise their safety by evacuating buildings whenever there is a serious indication of possible collapse.