FCT probes building collapse in Abuja, seven residents killed

Adeh explained that scavengers were at the site of the demolished building to retrieve scrap metal, which then led to the compromise of the structure and its resulting secondary collapse, urging residents to respect the boundaries of demolished structures to avoid any similar occurrence in the future. This is as the acting Director General of the FCT Emergency Department, Abdulrahman Mohammed, in a statement by the Head of Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, on Sunday, explained that the structure, located at Gidash Estate, was one of the buildings marked for removal by the FCT’s Department of Development Control. According to the statement, Abdulrahman also stated that the Chairman of Miyetti Allah, FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein, confirmed to the FEMD that the bodies of five members of the association were removed from the rubble. So, these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition at the weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident”, he said. Meanwhile, the FCT Police Command, in a statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, confirmed that five persons had been rescued from the rubble, and that preliminary investigations revealed that the building was previously demolished by the FCT authorities, as it was located in an illegally acquired area.