WIKE SPEAKS ON BUILDING COLLAPSE, ROAD PROJECTS: VOWS JUSTICE, CITES PROGRESS AHEAD OF ANNIVERSARY

By: Wisdom Acka and Immaculate Hwange

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barrister Nyesom Wike, has confirmed the death of four persons in a recent building collapse in the nation’s capital, describing the incident as “very pathetic”

The Minister, who spoke during an inspection tour of ongoing road projects on Monday, 18 April 2026, announced that the site has been sealed and a panel would be constituted to investigate the cause.

“From the report I got, we lost four persons, and some lives were saved. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody,” Wike stated.

He revealed that one engineer has been arrested and that the developer would also be apprehended. “So, the government is taking over here (referring to the collapsed building site),” he emphasized.

The Minister stressed the primary responsibility of government to protect life and property, issuing a stern rebuke to developers who circumvent official oversight. “Developers should allow the government to thoroughly supervise whatever construction is going on… What materials are they using? Are they doing the soil test?” he questioned.

Wike also criticized a section of the press for what he termed blackmail and harassment of government officials trying to enforce regulations. “Instead of them to really find out why government is taking that decision, some of these people will go to blackmail… But look at these lives. How can you buy back these lives? They are gone.”

Providing preliminary findings from an integrity test conducted by a consultant, Mr. Emeko, Wike explained the technical failure. “The results indicated that this soil is made up of dredged waterways over the years. And there is a local well that is here filled up with debris and clay, which was not visible to the developer.”

He further revealed that columns C and D were placed over this concealed pit, creating a structural gap that led to the collapse. “The Department of Development Control should be able to give us the preliminary investigation of what they thought really happened,” he added.

Earlier, the Minister inspected key infrastructure projects, including the Jahi/Gwarinpa interchange, access roads to the Mabushi bus terminal, and the Wuse/Central Area Road.

Expressing cautious optimism, he noted that the contractor’s commitment to complete the central area road by the second week of June.

“I’m afraid that even though the contractor has shown that the road will be completed… I’m not quite comfortable. But let us believe what they have said. The quality of the job is okay,” Wike remarked.

He was, however, full of praise for the work at the Elixir, Jahi, and Gwarinpa interchange by CBC, stating confidently, “Better work, quality job. Yes, I can say 100% that it will be completed.”

Regarding projects slated for inauguration to mark the administration’s anniversary, the Minister indicated a significant number are on track. “It was difficult for me to say the number of projects totally… until probably we get towards the 28th of May.

But I do know, the way we are going, it will not be less than 20… These projects, of course, are projects that have touched the lives of the residents of Abuja and also have a very positive impact on the economy of the city,” he said.

Concluding his assessment of the day’s tour, the Minister said, “By and large, we think they are doing quite a good job. So, we are happy with what we have seen, very much happy.”