Occupants ignored quit notice before Lagos Island building collapse – LASEMA

A source within the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) has confirmed that residents of the building that collapsed along Adeniji Adele Road in the Isale Eko area of Lagos Island were previously issued a quit notice but failed to vacate the property.

The building collapsed in the early hours of Thursday, injuring several occupants and prompting a swift response from emergency services, including the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the Nigeria Police Force, and other rescue teams.

Speaking anonymously, the LASEMA official revealed that the structure had long been declared distressed and was marked for demolition by the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA).

“The building had already been defused and marked by LASBCA some time ago. It was clearly unsafe,” the official said. “Our team responded quickly after the collapse. Investigations show that residents had been served quit notices but chose to remain.”

Another source from the rescue team confirmed that no one was trapped under the rubble, although ongoing excavation efforts are being carried out manually due to space constraints.

“The buildings around here are tightly packed, so it’s difficult to bring in heavy-duty equipment. We’re working manually, but thankfully, there are no individuals currently trapped,” the source added.