News

Sanwo-Olu names survivors, says ‘mistakes were made’

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has named the survivors of the collapse of the 21-storey building in Gerrard Road in the Ikoyi area of the state.

He admitted that “mistakes were made from all angles” leading to the incident during his visit to the scene of the incident on Wednesday.

“This is an event that one can say that indeed mistakes were made from all angles and this is an event that truly really shouldn’t be happening in a modern-day city like Lagos state,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu also noted that anyone found culpable would face the wrath of the law noting that he instructed the indefinite suspension of the General Manager, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Gbolahan Oki, an architect.

“We would say that we had to take from the head, from the leadership of that agency. Be rest assured that if there are other people that are found in the course of the investigation, everybody will face the full wrath of the law,” he said.

He also issued a 30-day timeline to the panel of enquiry set up to investigate and submit a report on the cause of the collapse of the building.

Survivors identified

Mr Sanwo-Olu noted that of the nine survivors, six are still in the hospital while three with minor injuries have been discharged.

The survivors, as announced by the governor, include:

  1. Adeniran Mayowa, 37, who suffered a hip injury.
  2. Odutan Timileyin, 26.
  3. Ahmed Keneku, 19
  4. Sunday Monday 21, who suffered a leg fracture.
  5. Waliu Lateef 32.
  6. Shola Bade Nurudeen: 33, who has a pelvic injury.

Workers’ identity unknown

Meanwhile, the governor said the identities of some of the construction workers including the project manager were unknown.

He said some officials have been to their residence but they couldn’t find anyone.

“If you check the boards, their names have been cleaned up. There are things there that have been cleaned up, the telephone numbers you have there is the same telephone we have called across,” he said.

‘National disaster’

The governor described the incident as a national disaster while he sympathised with the victims’ families.

“This is an event that may be described as a clear national disaster. This is an event that one can say that indeed mistakes were made from all angles and this is an event that truly really shouldn’t be happening in a modern-day city like Lagos State.”

“My deepest condolences to families and loved ones of people that might have been involved in this very unfortunate, tragic, monumental national loss.”

Missing persons forms

An official of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), who refused to be named because he was not authorised to speak with journalists, told newsmen that 17 families have filed the missing persons forms so far.

These families are believed to have their members buried under the rubble.

The newspaper also gathered that a female bag containing a phone and a power bank was found under the debris. The bag had no identification card.

Show More

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button