PRESS RELEASE:As FCT Minister orders rescue team back to Building Collapse site; ...Fatalites Reach Three

Number of fatalities from the collapsed building in Jabi District reached three following resumed rescue operations ordered by FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello. According to the Minister, “directing the rescue team back to site was as a result of strong concerns that there could still be people under the rubbles.”

It was as a result of the resumed operation that the body of Sadiq Aliu, was discovered, vindicating the Ministers directive. Malam Aliu’s corpse was to be evacuated to the morgue when his relatives rather preferred to proceed to the cemetery for his burial, in accordance with Islamic rites. The other two fatalities were: Bashiru Mohammed, the site foreman and another young man who is yet to be identified were also buried last Friday, after they had been confirmed dead.

The site engineer, Friday Alu is said to be on intensive care at the Cedarcrest Hospital Apo. However, officials of the FCT Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were not allowed access to him when they called to know how the Agency could be of assistance. The other four were reported to have sustained minor injuries and had left Gwarimpa Hospital where they were taken to by relatives and friends after initial treatment. The affected were mostly personnel working on the building site at the time of the incident.  

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello, while commiserating with the families of the deceased, emphasized the need for a thorough clearance of the entire rubbles to ensure that no other body is trapped beneath the debris.

On arrangements made for the treatment of the injured, the Acting Deputy Director and Head, Forecasting, Response and Mitigation of the Agency, Mrs. Florence Wenegieme said the Agency has three hospitals set aside for emergency treatments, namely; Wuse, Asokoro and Maitama general hospitals.

It could be recalled that Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who was then the Acting President, and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation Barr. Boss Mustapha were escorted to the site of the incidents by the FCT Minister. The Minister, however was among the early callers on the site of the collapsed building.

The uncompleted four-storey building complex near the Jabi Motor Park had collapsed on Friday last week prompting an immediate and comprehensive mobilization of men and machines to the site of the disaster by both federal and FCT emergency agencies. More than seven earth moving machines had been engaged in the operations including support equipment from Julius Berger Nigeria Plc.

Coordinator of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Umar Shuaibu also indicated that investigations have commenced to unravel the immediate and remote causes of the building collapse.

Cosmas Uzodinma
Chief Press Secretary.