Two Workers Killed, One Injured as Section of #17.8 Billion Kwara Hotel Under Renovation Collapses
By Bamidele Aremu
A tragic incident unfold in Ilorin following the collapse of a perimeter fence of the ongoing ₦17.8 billion Kwara Hotels renovation project, resulting in the deaths of two construction workers and leaving one other critically injured.
The incident reportedly occurred on Tuesday afternoon during active construction work at the Hotel’s site, located in the GRA area of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The facility, once a symbol of the state’s thriving hospitality industry, is currently undergoing a facelift as part of the government’s infrastructure renewal drive.
Confirming the development, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Mr. Rafiu Ajakaye, described the incident as deeply distressing.
“It is quite saddening. Yesterday, part of the structure under renovation gave way. Three workers on duty were badly injured. One of them made it, but the remaining two didn’t survive despite first aid and emergency attention at the nearest hospital,” he stated.
“Their families have since been contacted, according to the facility managers,” Ajakaye added.
Ajakaye however did not reveal the identity of the victims.
An eyewitness, a woman who sells snacks and beverages near the site, while speaking with National Pilot on Wednesday morning, described the moment of the collapse as sudden and horrifying.
“I was nearby selling when I suddenly heard a loud blast. It sounded like a bomb. People started shouting and running away from the site. It was terrifying,” she said, visibly shaken.
According to her, several passersby initially thought an explosion had occurred until the true nature of the incident became clear moments later, as emergency responders began arriving at the scene.
However, when National Pilot visited the site on Wednesday morning, the hotel premises had been fully barricaded, and heavily guarded by police and private security operatives. Access to the area was tightly restricted, and no construction workers were seen within the premises.
Security personnel on duty declined to speak or offer updates on the situation, referring inquiries to the state government and project management firm.
As of the time of filing this report, neither the construction company handling the project nor the consulting engineers had released an official statement regarding the cause of the structural collapse.
