Lekki Gardens building collapse: Lagos set to prosecute contractors, others

LAGOS State government said on Wednesday that it is set to commence prosecution of suspects linked to the collapse of a five-storey building, which occurred on March 8, 2016 in Lekki, leading to the death of 30 persons.

The state’s Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr Adeniji Kazeem, disclosed this in statement made available to newsmen covering Alausa, Ikeja, saying his office had concluded its legal advice and ready to prosecute a total of nine suspects deemed culpable in the collapse of the building.

Following the incident, the Lagos State Police Command announced the arrest of the Managing Director of Lekki Gardens, a 34-year-old Mr Richard Nyong and Odofin Taiwo, one of the contractors handling the project.

“Following the conclusion of investigation by the Nigeria Police Force and technical reports of relevant experts, my office has concluded its legal advice and decided to prosecute the suspects for failure to obtain planning permit contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, Ch. CU2 and Involuntary Manslaughter contrary to the provisions of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, Ch. C17, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 respectively,” Kazeem said.

Kazeem reiterated the commitment of the Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to protecting the lives and properties of its citizens and assured the general public that it would leave no stone unturned to ensure that criminal negligence and any form of crime was duly brought to book.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at about 05:00hrs, a property being built by Messrs Lekki Gardens Estate Limited and Get Too Rich Investment Limited known as Horizon 1 Extension, House H15, Lekki, Lagos State collapsed, claiming the lives of 30 people.