From Bashir Rabe Mani, Sokoto
A major tragedy was averted in Sokoto on Wednesday after a two-storey building under construction collapsed along Bauchi Road in the heart of the state capital, with all workers escaping unhurt.
The building gave way at about 2 p.m., prompting an immediate emergency response to secure the area and prevent further danger.
Head of the Sokoto Operations Office of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), covering Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Alhaji Tukur Abubakar, confirmed that no lives were lost and no one was trapped beneath the rubble.
According to him, the workers fled the site after noticing signs that the structure was caving in.
“We thank God that nobody died as a result of the incident and no casualty was recorded,” Abubakar said.
He disclosed that emergency responders, including the Federal and Sokoto State Fire Services, the Nigerian Red Cross Society, the Sokoto State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), and officials of the state Ministries of Environment, Lands and Housing, were swiftly deployed to the scene.
Abubakar said the affected area was cordoned off to prevent a secondary disaster, adding that investigations had commenced to determine the cause of the collapse.
“Our thorough investigations will reveal the actual cause of the building collapse,” he said.
The incident adds to the growing list of building collapses recorded across Nigeria, a recurring challenge that has claimed lives and destroyed property in several parts of the country, fueling renewed calls for stricter enforcement of building regulations and adherence to construction standards.
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