At least three persons reportedly got trapped under the rubble of an uncompleted multistorey building that collapsed at Ayetoro area of Osogbo, Osun State capital, while two others, Shehu Abubakar and Muktairu Mohammed were rescued from the debris of the collapsed structure on Sunday evening.
The State Command of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in a statement by its spokesperson, Kehinde Adeleke, explained that two people had been rescued so far while the remaining three were trapped under the rubble, a development that requires the use of a crane to get to the victims.
According to her, “While we await the crane, people are doing all they can within the physical human capacity to break the decking and connected rods.”
As at the time of filing this report, personnel of the NSCDC, the State’s Police Commissioner and his team and officials of the State Environmental Management Agency (OSEMA), government officials, amongst others, were on ground to ensure the coordination of the search and rescue operations.
In addition, a delegation of the State government led by the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Mayowa Adejorin, was at the scene of the building collapse at Ayetoto for an on-the-spot assessment.
Accompanied by Hon. Emiola Fakeye, the Governor’s Special Adviser on OSEMA and the team inspected the area and also discovered another building that was in bad condition.
Disturbed by the occurrence, the state governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has warned developers and residents against construction of houses without approved building plans, threatening to bulldoze badly built houses posing threat to human safety.
The governor, in a statement by his Spokesperson, Mallam Olawale Rasheed, in Osogbo, emphasised the importance of securing approvals for building plans to ensure standard of construction and avoidance of needless deaths and injuries.
According to him, “building plan is not an optional step in building construction process as it stops substandard houses that frequently collapse and poses safety risk to occupants and environment.
“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 according to standard. We must also be proactive by testing the strength of houses before human tragedy occurs. Substandard houses once identified should be pulled down before fatal 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 wreck havoc. We must not wait for lives to be lost before we act,” Governor Adeleke affirmed.
Meanwhile, the State Police Command, in a statement by its Spokesperson, Mrs Yemisi Opalola, stated that, “immediately the police was informed about the incident, the Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Umar Abba psc, mobilized rescue team to the scene to cordon off the scene to ensure effective and efficient management of the rescue operations.
“The operation was led/coordinated by Deputy Commissioner of Police Department of Operations DCP Abayomi Shogunle, DPO Dugbe Division CSP Akinloye Oyegade, the Command Public Relations Officer SP Yemisi Olawoyin Opalola and other Police teams”.
“Also NSCDC, Fire Service and other emergency responders were on ground to complement the efforts of the Police. The uncompleted building was being used by some destitute as their abode before it collapsed.
“Two persons trapped were evacuated from under the rubbles namely: Shehu Abubakar ‘m’ 45 years and Muktairu Mohammed ‘m’ 30 years were rescued alive and rushed to a hospital by Osun Ambulance Services and responding to treatment.
“Meanwhile, normalcy has returned to the area while the Commissioner of Police enjoins the good people of Osun State to report any building suspected to be dilapidated/distress on time for necessary actions to be taken to prevent unforseen circumstances of this nature.
“The Police Command is committed to ensuring safety of life and properties,” the PPRO stated.