**In the aftermath of the three-storey building collapse at Alakija Bus Stop, Satellite Town, in Amuwo-Odofin Local Government Area, the Lagos State Government has ordered the demolition of all defective buildings adjoining the structure following the rise in the death toll to nine, with scores of residents displaced.**
The government’s decision followed the recovery of more bodies from the rubble, while 27 people were rescued after the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) concluded search, rescue and recovery operations at the scene.
Speaking during an inspection of the site on Friday, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso, commiserated with families of the victims, saying the collapsed building had been marked for demolition before the tragedy.
Omotoso, who led members of the state executive to the scene, said the loss of lives could have been avoided if the property owners had complied with the government’s earlier eviction notice. He warned that anyone found culpable in the incident would be prosecuted.
The commissioner also directed residents occupying adjoining buildings to vacate the area immediately, saying all structurally defective buildings around the site would be demolished as a precaution.
He added that investigations into the cause of the collapse were ongoing and that the findings would be made public in due course.
The building collapsed at about 11:47 p.m. on Thursday, triggering a massive emergency response involving state and federal agencies, which raced to the scene to rescue trapped victims and recover the dead.
Injured victims received immediate pre-hospital care from the Lagos State Ambulance Service (LASAMBUS) before being taken to nearby hospitals for further treatment.
LASEMA confirmed that nine bodies were recovered from the rubble, including four adults who were confirmed dead before emergency responders arrived and five others, among them a two-year-old girl.
The remains of the deceased were bagged and handed over to the State Environmental Health Monitoring Unit for identification and subsequent release to their families.
According to the agency, the operation was carried out by its Shark Response Team from the Lekki Base and the Alpha Cobra Response Team from Onipanu, both of which arrived at the scene within 40 minutes of the distress call.
They were joined by personnel of the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, LASAMBUS, the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Lagos State Neighbourhood Safety Corps (LNSC), the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Red Cross Society and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).
LASEMA said its Director of Operations, Mr. Olanrewaju Akinsanya, and Cappa Base Coordinator, Engr. Salami, coordinated operations on the ground, while the agency deployed a heavy-duty excavator to complement two others provided by CCECC.
The excavators, the agency said, enabled rescuers to reach trapped victims more quickly and complete the operation down to ground zero.
The Commissioner for Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, alongside the Permanent Secretary, also provided strategic oversight throughout the rescue and recovery mission.
The rescue operation was suspended at about 4:00 a.m. on Friday after emergency responders reached ground zero and confirmed that no further victims remained trapped beneath the rubble.