The death toll recorded at the site of the building that collapsed on Monday, in Ikoyi, has increased to 32 as at Thursday evening.
This was confirmed by the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), through its Acting Coordinator, Lagos State Territorial District, Mr Ibrahim Farinloye.
According to him, the agency has recovered 32 dead bodies from the collapsed building at Gerrard Road, Ikoyi, Lagos.
What NEMA is saying
Farinloye said, “Nine injured persons had also been pulled out from the rubble as rescue operation entered its fourth day. The survivors included a female and eight males.
“The operation would continue to ground zero as the agency had a mandate to rescue and recover trapped victims whether dead or alive.”
Victims’ families make demands
Some families of the victims, who spoke with Nairametrics have called for thorough investigations into the incident and for the government to ensure that everyone responsible is punished.
One of them, Peter, told Nairametrics that he expects more from the state government and the federal agency in charge.
He said, “By now more details on personalities of the victims should have been disclosed in order to curb speculations.
“We plead with the state government to ensure everyone found guilty be brought to book. They should not just stop at suspension but be charged for incompetency. This is not a tooth for tooth issue, but people must learn to uphold integrity.”
What you should know
Nairametrics had reported that the 21-storey building under construction collapsed at around 3 p.m. on Monday, trapping many workers.
The unfortunate incident has brought all commercial activities, including vehicular movement around the area, to a halt.
Nairametrics observed that the Police Area “A” Commander, ACP Bode Ojajuni, as well as other security agencies including the Army, NSCDC, Defence, LASTMA, Road Safety, among others, have been on ground to ensure smooth rescue operation since the incident occurred.