The Lagos State Government has pulled down about three adjoining distressed buildings at Alakija Bus Stop, Satellite Town, following the collapse of a three-storey shopping complex that claimed the lives of nine traders, and left 27 others with varying degrees of injuries at the scene.
It said the decision followed a joint assessment carried out by its officials from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA), and the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA) and other responding agencies at the scene of the collapsed building.
The Permanent Secretary, LASEMA, Dr Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, who led the demolition on Friday, stated that the affected structures were found to pose a serious risk to emergency responders, neighbouring occupants and members of the public, prompting authorities to take immediate precautionary action to prevent another disaster.
He disclosed that the controlled demolition started at 4:00 p.m. on Friday under the supervision of the relevant authorities as part of measures to eliminate any possibility of a secondary collapse.
The LASEMA boss explained that the step became necessary after the site was assessed during ongoing search and rescue operations, which had already exposed the structural instability of surrounding buildings.
“This is a precautionary safety measure designed to prevent any secondary structural collapse,” Oke-Osanyintolu stated.
He further appealed for understanding from members of the public, stressing that every decision taken by the government was aimed at preserving lives and protecting property.
The demolition comes in the wake of the collapse of the distressed shopping complex at Alakija Bus Stop, which has already claimed nine lives and raised fresh concerns about building safety enforcement in Lagos.