No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead, while 10 others were rescued alive after a three-storey building under construction collapsed on Saturday in the Durumi 3 area near Gudu Market in Abuja.
PrimeTimes Nigeria reports that the incident occurred at a construction site around Gaduwa Estate in the Gudu District of the Federal Capital Territory.
Emergency responders were still making efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubble as of the time of filing this report.
Personnel of the Federal Fire Service, health workers, security agencies and local volunteers were involved in the search-and-rescue operation.
In a statement, the spokesperson for the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Lere Olayinka, said administrative measures had been put in place to support victims of the collapse.
According to the statement, the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, directed that those rescued alive should receive immediate medical attention free of charge.
“Federal Capital Territory Administration Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, who was at the scene, said the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has directed that all casualties be given free medical treatment,” the statement read.