Abuja Estate Building Collapse Claims Seven Lives

By: Nkechi Isa

The FCT Emergency Management Department,( FEMD), has said that seven persons lost their lives in the rubble of a building, which collapsed yesterday at Sabon Lugbe , along the Airport Road, Abuja.

FEMD that made this clarification, said structure located at Gidash Estate was one of the buildings earmarked for removal by the FCT Department of Development Control.

This was contained in a statement by the Ag. Director-General of FEMD, Engr. Abdulrahman Mohammed in Abuja, Sunday.

While dismissing as untrue, media reports that 40 persons were killed at the site, the Director -General said that 7 persons who lost their lives in the process were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials.

His words: “What happened is that the structure was marked for removal by the FCT Development Control Department. So these scavengers taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition exercise at weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillars holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident”.

Mohammed stated that the Chairman Miyetti Allah, FCT Chapter, Mohammed Hussein, confirmed to FEMD that 5 members of the Association were removed dead from the rubble.

According to the statement, seven other persons were rescued alive from the rubble of the collapsed building.

Meanwhile, FEMD has called off its search and rescue operation, after excavation of the incident site revealed that there were no persons trapped in the rubble.

The FEMD DG has appealed to scavengers to shun demolition sites and allow the FCTA carryout the removal of structures to avert a re-occurrence of the incident.

He called on FCT residents to always use the 112 toll free emergency number in the event of any emergency or disaster.