9am News report confirms that five people have lost their lives following the collapse of a three-storey building in the Ojodu Berger area of Lagos State on Saturday morning. The structure, which housed the well-known Equal Right Restaurant, came down around 8:00 a.m., trapping several occupants and passersby.
Initially, the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) reported one fatality during the rescue operation. However, on Sunday morning, the agency updated the casualty figure, stating that four additional bodies were recovered, bringing the death toll to five. The victims were taken to the morgue while rescue operations continued.
Olufemi Oke-Osanyintolu, the Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, revealed that 13 individuals have been successfully rescued and are receiving emergency medical treatment. “We are still actively searching for more victims. There is credible information that more people could be under the rubble,” he added.
Eyewitnesses said the building was undergoing construction at the time of its collapse. It had previously served as an older structure but was reportedly converted into a restaurant with ongoing modifications. Residents in the area claimed they had expressed concern for years about the building’s structural safety.
“One could tell that the building wasn’t stable. I always avoided it. Sadly, this has now happened,” said one resident who preferred to remain anonymous.
Emergency response teams, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), LASEMA, the Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service, and the Nigeria Police, swiftly arrived at the scene following a distress call made at 8:32 a.m.
NEMA, in an earlier report, had confirmed the rescue of 12 individuals and one fatality. However, this figure was revised to 13 rescued victims, which included customers, restaurant workers, and even an entire family.
The exact cause of the building collapse is still under investigation. However, according to LASEMA, unapproved structural modifications significantly contributed to the tragedy. “This building had unauthorized construction work done on it. It was originally not designed for such changes,” Mr. Oke-Osanyintolu stated.
Five adult women were among those rescued from the rubble and treated at the site. The rescue team is using a combination of heavy and light-duty machinery to conduct a layer-by-layer search to reach possible survivors.
Authorities have since cordoned off the area, and a formal investigation is underway to determine liability and prevent future incidents. Mr. Oke-Osanyintolu has urged property owners to refrain from altering old buildings without proper permits.
“This incident is a stark warning,” he emphasized. “Tampering with ageing structures without professional approval is a disaster waiting to happen.”
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