By Stanley Onyekwere
Tragedy was narrowly averted in the Jikwoyi area of the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) on Friday morning, as a three-storey building under construction collapsed, trapping several workers beneath the debris.
The incident, which occurred at approximately 9:00 AM in Jikwoyi Phase 1, sparked an immediate and massive mobilization of emergency services, including the FCT Police Command, the FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).
According to official statement from the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, seventeen workers were on-site when the structure failed.
While 8 workers were pulled from the rubble with varying degrees of injury, 9 workers managed to escape the site unharmed as the building began to crumble.
The injured were rushed to the Sisters of Nativity Hospital in Jikwoyi. Medical personnel have confirmed that the victims are responding well to treatment.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Ahmed Muhammed Sanusi, who personally visited the scene, has ordered a comprehensive investigation in collaboration with the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA).
”All individuals and authorities responsible for the approval, issuance, and inspection of this construction site will be invited for questioning.
“We must ensure accountability to prevent such occurrences in the future”, the CP stated .
As of Friday afternoon, heavy machinery from the FCDA Engineering Department and CGC Construction Company remained on-site. Excavation is ongoing to verify that no additional persons are trapped under the concrete slabs.
