2 die under mud at Abuja construction site

TWO persons lost their lives after a mudslide incident at a private construction site on Plot 3333, Mississippi Street, Maitama District, Abuja.

The two victims, Tribune Online gathered, were labourers at the site.

‎Although the identities of the victims could not be ascertained as at the time of this report, it was gathered that the site engineer has been arrested by the Police following the incident.

Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA), Engineer Adamu Ismaila, was at the site to assess the situation.

‎He said that FCT Minister, Mallam Musa Bello, has also directed the FCT Development Control to thoroughly investigate the incident and report back immediately to ascertain what really went wrong that led to the death of the two men.

He said that the administration was going to investigate thoroughly the unfortunate incident to avoid a repeat.

Ismaila disclosed that remedial action to protect the infrastructure was already on at the site.

Other measures, according to him, was for all the contractors working at the site to temporarily stop whatever they were doing to provide retaining wall as a matter of urgency.

The executive secretary noted that the FCT Administration has approved the engagement of a construction firm, Habib Engineering Company Limited to immediately takeover the collapsed site and restore the embankment to prevent further erosion and possible collapse of the Mississippi Road.

Other developers working at the site were also directed to resume robust protection of the embankments for all the plots to prevent further collapse as well as ensure that the staff of both Departments of Development Control and Engineering Services are on site permanently and be vigilant on inspection as the protection works progresses.