9th March, 2016
Kazeem Ugbodaga
PHOTO: PM News
At least 12 more dead bodies have been removed from the rubble of the 5-storey building which collapsed in Lekki area of Lagos, Southwest Nigeria, on Tuesday.
This brings to 30, the number of people that have died as a result of the collapse of the massive building being developed by the Lekki Worldwide Estate Limited, while only 13 survivors have been evacuated.
While 18 dead bodies were removed from the debris on Tuesday, 12 were evacuated as at around 2.00pm on Wednesday.
Spokesperson, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Ibrahim Farinloye confirme to P.M.NEWS the latest death toll.
He said apart from the 13 people rescued on Tuesday, no other person had been rescued alive Wednesday.
General Manager, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Michael Akindele said rescue operation was still ongoing and that more bodies had been removed from the debris with no survivor.
Rescue workers 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 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 is playing the reactive role rather than being proactive and enforce 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 reduce cost at the expense of people’s lives.