22nd September 2025
The Building Collapse Prevention Guild has called for the introduction of advanced equipment and technology to strengthen rescue operations during incidents of building collapse in the country.
Speaking on the recent Yaba building collapse, in a statement by the Coordinator, BCPG Yaba Cell, Bayo Ogunrinde, he noted that the collapse of the four-storey building under construction at 335, Borno Way, Yaba, Lagos State, at about 7 pm on Friday, September 12, 2025, negated the efforts to protect the Yaba area from the ravaging building collapse menace in the state.
It stated, “The rescue operations that stretched for four days, precisely from Friday night to Monday, helped save 10 human lives. Sadly, four dead bodies were recovered. The last two of the dead construction workers were recovered on Sunday, dashing the hope of saving the lives of those who were making frantic phone calls to their family members. This was a terrible and painful way of ending one’s mission in the world. A mother fainted while awaiting the dead body of her son trapped in the debris.
“Against all expectations, on Monday, about 65 hours after being buried underneath the collapsed building, her son, Anuoluwa, and another artisan were pulled out of the soakaway alive. How they were able to survive for long under the debris seemed a miracle. The melancholy atmosphere suddenly transformed into ecstasy.
“Honestly, the performance of the staff of the National Emergency Management Agency, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Fire and Rescue Service, Lagos State Building Control Agency, Lagos State Ambulance Service and the police that were deprived of sleep, working laboriously round the clock in the rescue operations, deserves commendation. However, the need to introduce sophisticated plants and equipment for rescue operations in collapsed buildings cannot be overemphasised. With improved technology, a rescue process should be able to bring out those trapped in the collapsed building with less damage to physical evidence required for investigations.”
Ogunrinde noted that it was enervating as the guild monitored the prolonged rescue process using the excavator, cutting machine, diggers, and shovels.
He continued, “A striking similarity could be drawn between this latest collapsed building and the penultimate one that collapsed at 16, Akanbi Street, Onike, Yaba, on February 12, 2022. That building, which was located close to the University of Lagos and meant for students’ hostel, was four-storey and under construction at the finishing stage. The death of four persons (construction workers) was recorded. The collapse of these two buildings just before they were occupied averted a possible large toll of casualties.
The compulsory project board that usually displays the information about the project team members went missing after the collapse at Borno Way, just like it happened at Akanbi Crescent. Unlike many collapsed buildings, where the developers could not be found, in the case of the Akanbi Crescent collapsed building, Mr Gboyega Bello was arrested. But then he was mistakenly released early by the police. The official investigation of the collapsed building, as required by the law before forfeiture of the land to the government was not conducted.
Now, in unprecedented circumstances, the developer of this 335, Borno Way four-storey building, Tajudeen, AKA Aljemin, was inside the building when it collapsed and, luckily, got rescued. He is in the hospital under the protection of the police. He did not suffer the fate of the developer of the collapsed 21-storey building on Gerald Road, Ikoyi, Femi Osibona, who died in the calamitous incident.”
He further noted that the moral lesson here for errant developers is to always abide by building regulations. The consequence of compromise could be fatal for them.
“The collapse of the four-storey building against the neighbouring five-storey building at 333, Borno Way, severely damaging a load-bearing column positioned at the building corner, provides us with two lessons. Firstly, the essence of providing adequate setbacks or air space between two buildings can now be appreciated.
“Secondly, this sideways collapse of buildings underscores the need for occupants of a building to pay attention to building construction work in the neighbouring compounds. The LASBCA mantra of ‘see something, say something’ requires one to be alive to whistle-blowing by alerting LASBCA when building regulations are suspected of being violated. The damaged building, which is currently being shored up with acrow props, should quickly be stabilised with concrete column(s). The result of a non-destructive test that is to be conducted on the damaged building will help verify the stability of the building.”
The coordinator advised that, to avert substandard construction work in Lagos State, stage certification of work by registered construction professionals was introduced.
“The collapsed building must have undergone such a process. An official forensic investigation of this collapsed building is expected to establish the factual cause(s) of the collapse, which will help teach a lesson against recurrence. Members of the Building Collapse Prevention Guild in Yaba commiserate with the bereaved. Our sympathy also goes to the paramount ruler, the Onisabe of Igbobi-Sabe, Owolabi Adeniyi. The king is so passionate about preserving the sanctity of Yaba as a well-planned area with buildings constructed to standards since the colonial era.
Yaba is considered the citadel of elites, the well-educated and law-abiding citizens. Cases of building collapse were few in Yaba, and the redevelopment of existing buildings into multi-storey buildings by developers started this problem.
“Regeneration is an important aspect of urban development. However, developers who should be engaged for this exercise must have sufficient funds and use consultants and construction companies possessing appropriate expertise. Restricting the influx of uncertified developers into the Yaba area will help prevent the construction of substandard buildings. “
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