A tragic building collapse in Lagos on Thursday claimed the lives of at least nine people, including a baby girl, while emergency responders rescued 26 others from the rubble of a three-storey commercial complex along Old Ojo Road, near Alakija Bus Stop on the Lagos-Badagry Expressway in Satellite Town, Ori-Ade Local Council Development Area.
The building, which housed several businesses including generator dealerships, a cybercafé and Point-of-Sale (POS) outlets, reportedly caved in at about 11 a.m., sending panic through the busy commercial area.
Eyewitnesses said the loud collapse forced residents, commuters and business owners to flee for safety before many returned to assist in rescue efforts alongside emergency personnel.
A police officer at the scene disclosed that about 15 people, including children and infants, were initially pulled from the debris, while several others were believed to have remained trapped beneath the collapsed structure.
One eyewitness, Musa, who was riding a motorcycle when the incident occurred, recounted the frightening experience.
“I was on my way to Mile 2 when I suddenly heard a loud noise behind me. I quickly moved forward, looked back and discovered that the entire building had collapsed,” he said.
Another resident, identified as Sule, said he narrowly escaped the disaster.
“I had just arrived at a shop outside the building less than five minutes earlier when I heard a loud crash. Everywhere became covered in dust. I immediately grabbed my child and ran for safety,” he recalled.
A resident, who requested anonymity, claimed the building had shown signs of structural distress for several years.
“My boss owned a cybercafé inside the mall but relocated two years ago because the building was already showing visible signs of weakness. We feared something like this could happen,” the resident said.
Several residents also alleged that the Lagos State Government had previously marked the building for evacuation due to concerns over its structural integrity.
Among those devastated by the incident was Abdul-Lateef, who said a close friend lost his life while attempting to escape.
“My friend is dead inside there. He was trying to run out when a block hit him. There are casualties,” he lamented.
In a dramatic rescue, emergency workers successfully pulled a young boy alive from the rubble, drawing applause and emotional reactions from anxious residents gathered at the scene.
All rescued victims and recovered bodies were taken to Navy Town Hospital, Alakija, for medical attention and further procedures.
Confirming the incident, the Permanent Secretary of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), Dr. Femi Oke-Osanyintolu, said rescue operations involving multiple emergency agencies remained ongoing.
He disclosed that as of 4:20 p.m., 26 people had been rescued alive, while nine fatalities, including a baby girl, had been recorded.
According to him, there were indications that more victims, particularly shop owners who had resumed business activities, might still be trapped beneath the rubble.
He appealed to residents to remain calm, avoid the disaster scene and allow emergency responders unrestricted access to continue rescue operations.
The Controller-General of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Margaret Adeseye, also confirmed the casualty figures, stating that firefighters from the Ijegun-Egba Fire Station responded immediately after receiving a distress call.
She said emergency teams worked tirelessly with other rescue agencies to evacuate survivors and recover victims from the collapsed structure.
The rescue operation involved officials of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, Federal Fire Service, Nigeria Police Force, Nigerian Navy, Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), Nigerian Red Cross Society and other emergency response agencies.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Lagos Chapter of the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Dr. Tony Kolawole, attributed the recurring incidents of building collapse across the country to regulatory failures, poor enforcement of building standards and negligence by stakeholders.
Reacting to the Lagos tragedy and a similar building collapse in Rivers State earlier in the week, Kolawole described both incidents as preventable disasters rather than unavoidable accidents.
He argued that many building collapses result from the use of substandard materials, manipulation of approval processes, disregard for professional advice and the failure to conduct mandatory structural inspections.
According to him, the continued loss of lives reflects systemic negligence and weak enforcement of existing building regulations.
Kolawole called on the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and other regulatory authorities nationwide to intensify structural integrity inspections, particularly in densely populated communities where defective buildings pose significant risks.
He further urged governments to ensure the prosecution of developers, contractors, consultants, property owners and public officials found guilty of violating building regulations.
He maintained that demolishing unsafe structures without holding those responsible accountable only encourages further negligence and endangers more lives.
He stressed that meaningful accountability through criminal prosecution remains essential to preventing future building collapse tragedies across the country.
Lagos Building Collapse: Nine Feared Dead, 26 Rescued as Search Operations Continue
