Police confirm 3 dead in Jos building collapse, Buhari sympathises with victims

The Plateau Police Command has confirmed the death of three persons with seven severely injured from the collapse of a two-storey building at Dilimi community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau.

DSP Terna Tyopev, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Command, confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Jos.

Tyopev, who did not state the cause that led to the collapse of the building, however, said that the structure, located at Butcher Line in the area, is owned by Alhaji Rufai Kabiru.

“This evening, at about 5 p.m. we received a distress call that a two-storey building located at Butcher Line in Jos North has collapsed.

“A search and rescue team was immediately mobilised to the scene.

“Seven persons were rescued unhurt, three persons were rescued with various degree of injuries while three persons lost their lives,” he said.

The PPRO said the injured were currently receiving treatment at the Plateau Specialist Hospital and Bingham University Teaching Hospital, respectively.

He said search and rescue operation was still ongoing at the scene, adding that security personnel have cordoned the vicinity.

Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the families of the victims of the building collapse in Jos, Plateau State, which claimed lives.

A statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by Garba Shehu,

Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media & Publicity), said figures released by National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), indicates that 14 persons have so far died in the collapsed three-storey building in Delimi Community of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau. 

It said President Buhari was greatly shocked at the unfortunate loss of lives and wished the injured quick recovery.

Condoling with the survivors of the accident and families of the dead, President Buhari said: “I feel your pains at this difficult moment and my prayers, thoughts and empathy are with you as you struggle to overcome the shock of this misfortune.”

While praying to God to comfort everyone affected by the sad incident, the President urged stakeholders in the building industry to find a lasting solution to the frequent incidents of building collapse across the country.

According to the President, “there is the urgent need to address the issue of enforcing safety standards in our buildings in order to forestall future tragedies.”