At least five people have been confirmed dead following the collapse of a three-storey building under construction in Durumi 3, behind Gudu Market, in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The building reportedly collapsed at about 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, trapping several construction workers under the rubble.
The Federal Capital Territory Emergency Management Department, FEMD, said its search and rescue team had so far rescued 16 persons from the site, while five persons were confirmed dead and 11 others sustained injuries.
In a statement signed by the department’s Head of Public Affairs, Mrs. Nkechi Isa, FEMD said most of the victims trapped in the rubble were labourers working at the construction site when the building came down.
The injured survivors were taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Abuja, Asokoro District Hospital and Maitama Hospital for treatment.
The spokesperson to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, Lere Olayinka, also confirmed the incident in a statement, saying rescue operations were still ongoing as emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubble.
According to him, one person was rescued alive after spending more than nine hours under the debris.
“Rescue operations still ongoing as emergency responders continued efforts to evacuate more victims believed to be trapped beneath the rubble at the construction site located around Gaduwa Estate in the Gudu district,” Olayinka said.
He added that the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, visited the scene and disclosed that Wike had directed that all casualties be given free medical treatment.
Fasawe was said to have personally attended to one of the victims rescued alive after more than nine hours under the rubble before he was moved to the hospital for further treatment.
The National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, had earlier put the death toll at four, with 12 others injured, before later updates from FCT authorities confirmed five deaths and 11 injured persons.
NEMA said it received a distress alert shortly after the collapse and immediately deployed rescue teams to the scene for search-and-rescue operations.
The agency said critical stakeholders, including the Federal Fire Service, FCT Fire Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Police Force, Federal Road Safety Corps and the FCT Emergency Management Agency, were activated for the operation.
It added that a response team from its Abuja Operations Office, led by the Head of Operations, Mr. Zakari Abubakar, as well as operatives from the AYA Emergency Response Bay, were deployed to the scene for quick response and coordination.
NEMA further said a reinforcement team from its headquarters, led by the Director of Search and Response, Air Cdre Bature Usman, was also on ground to provide necessary backup and supervision.
Also involved in the rescue operation were personnel of the Nigerian Army, FCT Emergency Medical Services and health officers from Wuse District Hospital.
As of the time of filing this report, emergency responders were still at the scene carrying out search-and-rescue operations while anxious residents looked on.