Stories by Stanley Onyekwere
The FCT Emergency Management Department(FEMD) has disclosed that seven persons lost their lives while they were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials at the building that collapsed Saturday, at Sabon Lugbe , along the Airport road in the FCT.
FEMD however, dismissed as untrue some media reports that 40 persons were trapped in the rubble of the said structure located at Gidash Estate, saying that it was one of the buildings earmarked for complete removal by the FCT Department of Development Control.
A statement from FEMD’s Head, Public Affairs, Nkechi Isa, said the Ag. Director General of FEMD, Engr Abdulrahman Mohammed made the clarification during a visit to the site.
“ What happened is that the structure was marked for removal by development control.
So these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition exercise at weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident,” the statement quoted FEMD boss.
Abdulrahman also stated that the Chairman Miyetti Allah ,FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein confirmed to FEMD that 5 members of the association were removed dead from the rubble.
He added that 7 other persons were rescued alive from the rubble of the collapsed building.
The FEMD boss also appealed to scavengers to shun demolition sites and allow the FCTA carryout the removal of structures to avert a re occurrence of the incident .
He called on FCT residents to always use the 112 toll free emergency number in the event of a disaster.
Meanwhile, FEMD has called off its search and rescue operation , after excavation of the incident site revealed that there were no persons trapped in the rubble.
