Jabi building collapse: Death toll hits 3 as rescue team return to site

By Stanley Onyekwere

The death toll of confirmed casualties at the site of the abandoned four storey building that collapsed in Jabi area of Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Friday last week, has risen to three.
This was revealed as the rescue operation team was forced back to site, following a directive from FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello.
The development occurred barely 24-hours a protest was staged by some relatives of the victims, complaining that rescue operation was stopped while their family members were still missing.
However, on resumption of the second round of the rescue operation, one corpse, later identified as Malam Aliu, was discovered and evacuated, while the authorities wanted it deposited in the morgue, his relatives rather preferred to proceed to the cemetery for his burial, in accordance with Islamic rites.
The other two victims were: Bashiru Mohammed, the site foreman and another young man who is yet to be identified have also being buried , after they had been confirmed dead.
Meanwhile, the site engineer, identified as Friday Alu, was said to have been admitted in the intensive care at the Cedarcrest Hospital Apo, while the other injured people were reportedly taken to Gwarimpa Hospital.
The Minister, who had commiserated with the families of the deceased, also noted that his directives that the rescue team should return to site was based on a “ strong concerns that there could still be people under the rubbles.”
He also instructed that the rubbles be thoroughly cleared to ensure that no other body is trapped beneath the debris.