Abuja building collapse: NEMA, others rescue 21 victims, as search continues

Management of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has reached no fewer than 21 victims who were trapped in the rubbles of the 3-Storey building which collapsed at 4tb Avenue, Gwarimpa, Abuja on Thursday.

The building under construction went down at about 11 am on Thursday, trapping onsite an unspecified number of construction workers.

According to FCT FEMA’s Head Public Affairs, Mrs. Nkechi Isa, “so far, as at Friday morning, 21 persons were rescued alive, while 3 others were removed from the rubble fatally injured.”

A rescue team comprising FEMA, NEMA, Red Cross Nigeria Police, Civil Defence Corp, FRSC, Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service and some construction companies are on the ground to comb for victims.

During a visit to the site of the incident on Thursday evening, the FCT Minister Mallam Mohammed Musa Bello commiserated with the families of the victims and residents of the FCT over the unfortunate incident

Represented by the Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Development Authority, FCDA, Engineer Shehu Hadi Ahmad, the Minister said: “This is coming at a time when we are all trying as a nation to come out of this worrisome situation of building collapse.

“These are issues which the FCT environment was not prominent with, but because of some activities of quackery, this has come into the FCT and the FCT is not too happy with these happenings. ”

The Minister noted that this was the third of such an incident in Gwarinpa Estate. He stated that the FCTA will stop at no limit to identify those involved in the unfortunate development.

“Preliminary report indicates that the land area where this property was standing on doesn’t look well and stabilized. There is the presumption of inferior materials in the construction and workmanship.

To this, the FCTA will take very seriously and engage the agencies involved to find a lasting solution to this type of embarrassment. ”

Also speaking the Director General of the FCT Emergency Management Agency, FEMA, Dr Abbas Idriss commended all the emergency workers and stakeholders involved in the rescue efforts.

He said that it was a successful exercise in which both the security and the media had given their best in ensuring the rescue operations went smoothly. According to him, the operation will continue until we reach ground zero to be sure that all the victims have been rescued.

He also called on the residents of the FCT to report any act of sharpness and compromises, especially in the construction sites, to the relevant authorities to save lives and properties.

This report could be done through the emergency toll-free number 112 for a prompt response.