Nigerian building collapse kills dozens

Victims from the Monday collapse of a 21-story luxury apartment building in Lagos include 33 men and three women, emergency officials said Thursday. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) said responders rescued nine people on Tuesday but have not found any indications of life since then.  At least 55 people, including construction workers, could still be trapped beneath the rubble. Those missing include pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, who also worked as a contractor.

What caused the collapse? The Lagos State Building Control Agency initially said the government only approved 15 floors for construction, but the state’s deputy governor, Obafemi Hamza, disputed the report. He said the state shut down construction for months because the building failed structural tests. The government has launched an investigation and will share the findings with the public. Officials did not start search efforts until three hours after the collapse. Building disasters are not uncommon in Nigeria, where construction regulations are not properly enforced.

Dig deeper: From the archives, read my report in The Sift on the 2019 school collapse in Lagos that killed at least eight children.