One person was tragically killed, and four others were injured in Igede-Ekiti, the headquarters of the Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area of Ekiti, due to the collapse of an ancient building.
According to the Nigerian Tribune, the building, which had stood for decades, collapsed while its occupants were inside, resulting in the fatality at approximately 2 a.m. on Tuesday.
A source in the community informed our correspondent that the building, located in the Odo-Ori area of the community, was home to a family of five. Regrettably, a 13-year-old secondary school girl was among the casualties.
The parents and two other siblings were promptly rushed to the hospital by neighbours after being trapped in the building during the early hours of Tuesday.
In response to the incident, Governor Biodun Oyebanji expressed his sympathy for the deceased’s family, describing the event as devastating and agonizing.
Represented by his Deputy, Chief Monisade Afuye, the governor visited the incident scene in Igede-Ekiti and urged occupants of dilapidated buildings across the state to relocate for their safety.
Governor Oyebanji also visited the Adeyinka Adebayo General Hospital in Iyin-Ekiti, where some of the victims were receiving medical treatment, to convey his sympathies and wish them a speedy recovery.
In addition to promising to cover the medical expenses of the victims, the governor directed the Ekiti State Emergency Management Agency (EKSEMA) to arrange alternative housing for the affected family.
The governor revealed that he has instructed the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oyebanji Filani, to oversee the medical treatments of the victims to ensure they receive the best care for a swift recovery.
To prevent similar incidents in the state, Governor Oyebanji stated that the Ministry of Physical and Urban Planning would aggressively enforce laws to dislodge those residing in dangerously uninhabitable buildings across the state.
He emphasized that existing laws governing building habitation would be rigorously enforced to prevent the recurrence of such tragic situations.
The governor appealed to the victims’ family to endure their grief with resilience, assuring them that the government would take all necessary actions to support those receiving medical treatment and help them recover.
Governor Oyebanji stated, “This is an incident that deeply saddens my heart. How could we lose precious human life to such an avoidable circumstance? The building must have shown signs of decay for a long time. If you examine the adjoining buildings, you’ll find that they aren’t safe either. Government agents will soon visit to assess these houses and potentially demolish them.
“I sympathize with the family and friends of the victims. This is indeed a challenging time for all of us, but we must learn lessons from this and take actions that protect our lives by being cautious about the buildings we choose to live in.
“We have sufficient regulations and existing laws that govern building residency in Ekiti, and our people should comply while trying to apply these laws for their own benefit, which is to ensure safety and prevent the avoidable loss of precious lives.
“We appeal to our people, especially those still living in residences suspected to be dilapidated, to relocate promptly, so that no one will suffer such a tragedy again in our beloved state.”
One of the children of the landlord, Lanre Olagunju, who received the governor’s entourage, revealed that the building had not shown any prior signs of instability or collapse. He noted that the occupants of the other wing of the building had relocated after a close call with a similar disaster.
