10th March, 2016
PHOTO: PM News
At least, 16 more bodies have been removed from the ruin of the 5-storey building which collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria on Tuesday.
This brings to 34, the people that have died as a result of the collapse of the massive building being developed by the Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited. Only 13 people have survived the collapse so far.
While 18 bodies were removed from the debris on Tuesday, 16 were evacuated up till 4pm on Wednesday. And more people are still believed trapped in the rubbles.
As at 2pm , spokesperson, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye said that 12 more dead bodies had so far being removed from the debris, making it a total of 30 removed from the collapsed building.
He said apart from the 13 people rescued on Tuesday, no other person was rescued alive today, while rescue operation continued.
5-storey building in Lekki, Lagos on Tuesday, 8 March, 2016
Rescue operators include officers of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Lagos State Fire Services, Lagos State Ambulance Service, LASAMBUS, Rapid Response Squad, RRS, Civil Defence, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Navy and the Nigeria police.
Lagos has witnessed several building collapse with devastating effect. Apart from the Synagogue building collapse of 2014 which claimed over 116 lives, the Lekki collapse ranks next in devastation in the last two decades in Lagos.
Enforcement of Town Planning Laws in Lagos has been at the lowest ebb, with developers flagrantly breaking the laws and going scot-free.
In most cases, the Lagos State Government plays the reactive role rather than being proactive by enforcing the law.
Thousands of buildings are being developed in the metropolis without approved plan from the state government, while developers often used substandard materials to erect buildings to maximize cost at the expense of people’s lives.