The Oyo State Government has affirmed its commitment to conduct thorough integrity tests on all buildings in the vicinity of the tragic collapse of a storey building in the Ojugbede Jegede area of Ogbere, Ibadan.
The incident which occurred on Thursday, resulted in the deaths of 10 individuals, while additional seven people were rescued from the debris.
The PUNCH reported that the ill-fated structure was owned by 80-year-old Babare Lamidi, who faced the heartbreaking loss of five of his grandchildren in the disaster.
Following the incident, security agents cordoned off the affected area to facilitate rescue operations and maintain order.
An eyewitness, who requested anonymity due to restrictions on speaking publicly about the matter, reported that the state government has pledged to ensure the safety of surrounding structures by conducting integrity assessments on all buildings in the vicinity.
He stated, “The state government delegation led by the Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Williams Akin-Funmilayo, commiserated with the people of the community as well as disclosed that an integrity test would be carried out on all the buildings in the area.”
Another source highlighted that the collapsed building had been showing signs of distress, which ultimately led to its catastrophic failure.
During a visit to the scene, the Commissioner of Police, Ayodele Sonubi, confirmed that the collapse resulted in the immediate loss of 10 lives, while eight others sustained life-threatening injuries.
He assured the public, “Adequate security has currently been emplaced in the area to prevent hoodlums from taking over the incident scene and as well protect the lives and property of other residents within the jurisdiction. An investigation is ongoing at the moment to unravel the possible circumstance that could have led to the incident,” he promised.
The General Manager of the state Fire Services, Yemi Akinyinka, also confirmed the incident, explaining that their agency received a distress call around 2 a.m.
“May I inform you that the state fire services agency received a distress call at around 2 a.m. at Jegede Olunloyo area, Ibadan, of which 10 persons have been recovered from the debris of the collapsed building, while nine persons were rescued. A rescue operation is still going on. I thank you,” he confirmed.
As the investigation continues, the state government emphasizes its dedication to ensuring the safety of all structures in the region, with hopes of preventing such a devastating incident from happening again.
