Mr Sam Adeleke, the Chief Inspector, Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) Oyo State, says “no life was lost” in the building collapse in Ibadan, on Friday. Adeleke made this known on Saturday, at the scene of the incident, after a meeting some Landlords in the area. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a two-storey building, situated beside Kajola Mosque, Sogoye Bustop, along Idi Arere-Molete Road, Ibadan had collapsed on Friday.
The Chief Inspector, who is in charge of Engineering Regulation Monitoring of COREN, led officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) and the Institute of Town Planners and Architecture, among others, to the scene. He said the team would continue investigations into the cause of the incident; and promised to brief newsmen after its preliminary findings.
Meanwhile, Mrs Mudinat Oladejo, who witnessed the collapse of the building, told NAN that eight persons, including bricklayers and a food vendor, were inside the building when it collapsed.
Oladejo said the building collapsed around 5:30 pm, on Friday evening, but six of the trapped persons came out of unhurt.
“The remaining victims were rescued around 12 midnight by personnel of the state’s emergency management agency, OYSEMA.
“The distress call made by one of the two trapped victims enhanced the rescue mission to locate the exact position of the victims trapped in the wreckage.
“We thank God that all the victims are alive, though the last two victims sustained minor bruises and were rushed to the hospital immediately,” Oladejo narrated.
Another eye witness, who simply identified himself as Ademola, said that the bricklayers were casting pillars on the second floor of the building when it collapsed.
Ademola, who also confirmed that no life was lost from the incident, urged relevant regulatory agencies to ensure effective monitoring of building constructions in order to guard against preventable waste of lives and resources.
