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We had premonition of our fate – Victims of Ilorin collapsed building

 

By Ahmed Ajikobi

The victims of a two-storey building that collapsed at Oba Alajo’s compound, Kuntu area of Ilorin, had earlier been warned by neighbours and relatives that the structure may collapse anytime soon, National Pilot has learnt.

The house, which is owned by one Late Oba Alajo caved in 3am on Tuesday, leaving one Kwara State Polytechnic Student of Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) simply identified as Jimoh dead, according to police report and eye witness account.

Speaking with our reporter in separate interviews, yesterday, the victims stated that they had premonition of their fate and had earlier informed the owners (wives and children of Alajo) of the building to carry out urgent repair and advice they neglected.

This medium was reliably informed that some tenants recently vacated the building due to the uncaring attitude of the landlords.

It was learnt that the incident happened during a heavy downpour and while other residents vacated the building after suspecting cracks, Jimoh was deep in sleep and eventually got trapped in the incident.

The deceased, who was said to be in his 20s hails from Iwo, in Osun State. Police officers from ‘B Division’ Surulere were said to have visited the scene before taking the remains of Jimoh to be deposited at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) morgue.

Further findings by our reporter revealed that the family of the departed had been informed and they were said to have arrived Ilorin same day to claim the lifeless body of their son who had since been buried in his home town according to Islamic injunction.

Speaking with our reporter, a tenant, Kudirat Agboola, said she had been living in the building for about four years and the landlords have been informed when it was noticed the structure was becoming weak.

“Each time we pay our rents we complained to the landlords but after collecting the money, they vanished into thin air until our payments are due.

“It is God that saved us when the incident happened. We are six tenants at the second floor but when the cracks began, we all shouted. I ran out with my children but we couldn’t take anything and we all lost our property.

“Eight tenants are at the second floor but they also ran for their lives, without thinking of their belongings just like those of us at the first floor,” she disclosed.

Also, another victim, who identified himself as Kunle, said the sad incident caught him unaware, adding that it was God that saved him from untimely death.

“It was only the noise of my other co-tenants that woke me up. If not I would have been consumed by the incident,” he said, adding that the occurrence would have been averted if the landlords had done the needful on the building.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ajayi Okasanmi confirmed the death of one in the incident, adding that  security men were deployed by the state command to palliate  the situation.

 

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