Four members of the same family have lost their lives after a three-storey building collapsed in the Popo Giwa area of Ilorin, Kwara State, on Tuesday morning.
The incident occurred at about 5am at No. 41 Popo Giwa Street, near Gogoro Mosque, leaving eight members of the family trapped beneath the debris.
An eyewitness, Abdulganiy Musa, told The PUNCH that the father of the family is a serving soldier, while the mother works as a casual staff member at the Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies in Ilorin.
Emergency responders immediately launched a rescue operation as efforts intensified to reach those trapped inside the collapsed structure. One of the children, identified as Firdaus, who was said to be the second-to-last child in the family, was among those rescued alive.
An excavator was later brought to the scene to help remove the rubble and create access for rescuers. Several emergency and security agencies also participated in the operation, with ambulances used to transport survivors to medical facilities.
Representing Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development, Lawal Olohungbebe, described the incident as unfortunate and expressed sympathy to the affected family.
“The rescue mission began immediately after the collapse and to the Grace of God, some were rescued but unfortunately, we have to take it as this,” he said.
Olohungbebe also highlighted the importance of maintaining accessible roads in residential areas, noting that the available access route helped emergency responders reach the building quickly.
“One of the things that made it very easy for us to rescue the few people we were able to rescue is the access route,” he said.
He urged property owners and developers to comply with building and town-planning regulations and ensure that access roads are not obstructed.
READ ALSO:
- Four Family Members Die As Three-Storey Building Collapses In Kwara
- Kogi Police Reveal How 15 NYSC Members, Six Others Were Rescued From Kidnappers
- Lola Omotayo Speaks After Nigerians Apologise For Blaming Her Over P-Square Rift
- Lionel Messi Retires From International Football
- EFCC Dismisses Over 40 Staff For Corruption Under My Leadership — Olukoyede
The commissioner also praised the various agencies involved in the operation, including the Ministries of Health and Environment, the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, SEMA, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Fire Service, Civil Defence and the Red Cross.
The Kwara State Fire Service confirmed that four people were killed while four others were rescued.
The agency’s Public Relations Officer, Hassan Adekunle, said firefighters received a distress call around 5am and immediately mobilised to the location.
“We have recovered four people dead and rescued four people alive,” he said.
Adekunle explained that the rescue operation required the involvement of multiple agencies because of the nature of the incident.
“We immediately mobilised to the scene and commenced rescue operation. This kind of situation is not something the fire service can handle alone,” he said.
He added that personnel from the Hospitals Management Board, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and other emergency agencies joined the operation.
The fire service spokesman said authorities had yet to establish the cause of the collapse, noting that a proper assessment would be conducted before any conclusion was reached.
“We are only here to ascertain the actual cause of this collapse and rescue the trapped victims. As at when due, we will communicate to the media about our findings,” he said.
He explained that authorities would determine whether the remaining structure required demolition after the assessment. Residents would also be advised accordingly depending on the condition of the building.
The Kwara State Emergency Management Agency also confirmed the death of four people and the rescue of four others.
SEMA Secretary, Magaji Saadudeen, said all eight people who were trapped had either been rescued or recovered, with the survivors and deceased taken to hospital.
“The rescued persons are receiving treatment presently,” Saadudeen said.
The Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ojo Adekimi, disclosed that the collapsed section was the boys’ quarters of the three-storey building.
“It was a three-storey building that collapsed. Our findings showed that the boys’ quarter of the building that collapsed. Information gathered revealed that eight people were trapped in the building,” he said.
According to him, the surviving victims were taken to hospital while the bodies of those who died were evacuated.
“For now, the situation is under control. We will examine the remaining building and see how people can be secured. But for now, we have evacuated everybody from the main building,” he said.
Adekimi advised residents to pay attention to warning signs such as leakages, cracks and other structural problems that could indicate a risk of collapse.
The Chairman of Ilorin West Local Government Area, AbdulRahman Babatunde Ladan, who visited the scene, commended residents and emergency responders for their swift intervention.
He said between six and seven ambulances were deployed to help evacuate the victims and provide emergency support.
Ladan urged residents to act immediately whenever they notice signs of structural weakness.
“Whenever you discover something like this, please escalate it. Get to the point of evacuating yourself and your family members from that building. Life is the priority,” he said.
He further advised developers to use quality construction materials and employ qualified professionals to supervise building projects, stressing that strict compliance with construction standards could help prevent similar tragedies.