BY CECILIA OGEZI
On a somber Saturday morning, tragedy struck in the Bwari Area Council of Abuja when a two-storey residential building crumbled beside Cupid Hotel on Sultan Dansuki Road.
The incident, reported at approximately 6:45 am, drew an immediate response from the FCT Emergency Management Department, alerted by concerned passers-by and a distress call to the 112 emergency toll-free number.
Acting Director of the FCT Federal Emergency Management Department, Mrs. Florence Wenegieme, confirmed that four individuals were rescued from the debris. Two of the victims are currently receiving medical attention at Kubwa General Hospital, while search and rescue operations continue unabated.
The collaborative efforts of the FCT Emergency Management Department, National Emergency Management Agency, FCT Fire Service, Federal Road Safety Corps, Civil Defense Corps, and the Nigeria Police were instrumental in the ongoing rescue mission.
The building collapse in Kubwa is the latest in a distressing series of similar incidents across Nigeria. Just a day earlier, on Friday, a catastrophic collapse of the Saint Academy school building in Jos North, Plateau State, claimed the lives of 22 students and injured 132 others. The pupils, who were taking exams at the time, were trapped under the rubble, their desperate cries for help echoing through the wreckage.
The recent string of building collapses has drawn sharp criticism from industry experts and professional bodies. The Council of Registered Builders of Nigeria has attributed these tragic events to governmental negligence in enforcing building regulations. Chairman Dr. Samson Opaluwah emphasized the need for stringent penalties for those found culpable, stressing that the enforcement of existing laws is paramount to preventing future occurrences.
“This collapse, unfortunately, has continued to happen, especially in areas that we can refer to as urban centers. Centers where professionals and professionalism should be extolled to the highest,” Dr. Opaluwah remarked. He lamented the persistent disregard for safety standards and the use of substandard materials in construction projects.
Data from the Building Collapse Prevention Guild underscores the severity of the issue, with at least 135 building collapse incidents and 26 deaths recorded between 2022 and 2024. These statistics paint a grim picture of the state of building safety in Nigeria, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and strict adherence to building codes.
As rescue teams continue their efforts in Kubwa and the nation mourns the loss of young lives in Jos, the call for accountability and reform grows louder. The tragedies serve as a stark reminder of the critical need for diligence in construction practices and the enforcement of safety regulations to safeguard the lives of Nigerians.
