Three Killed, 12 Rescued as Ogun Begins Probe into Ajuwon Building Collapse
Residents of Ajuwon, Ogun State, were thrown into mourning after a mixed use building collapsed during a heavy downpour on Monday, killing three persons and leaving 12 others rescued.
The Ogun State Government has since ordered a comprehensive investigation into the tragedy to determine the cause of the incident.
The building, which housed two shops on the ground floor and residential apartments above, was located at OGS Bus Stop on Baale Road in Ajuwon, a border community between Ogun and Lagos states.
Emergency responders, supported by security personnel, continued search and rescue operations at the site on Tuesday amid concerns that more occupants could still be trapped beneath the rubble.
As of Tuesday morning, three bodies, including an adult woman, a baby and a 75 year old man, had been recovered from the debris, while 12 other victims were rescued.
A commercial motorcyclist, Godwin, said the heavy rainfall forced many residents indoors shortly before the building gave way.
“The owner of the building is an engineer. When the rain started, people living in the house immediately sought shelter in their apartments, so the house was filled up at the time of the incident. The lower part of the building sank during the downpour and everything else crumbled on it,” he said.
Another resident, Ajibola, faulted what he described as a delayed emergency response, claiming that more lives could have been saved if rescue efforts had commenced earlier.
“People had to borrow an ambulance to evacuate the victims. The excavator that was removing the rubble even cut part of one of the bodies recovered. It was a terrible experience,” he lamented.
A shop owner, Bisola, whose business is located opposite the collapsed structure, said the building showed no obvious signs of distress before it suddenly caved in.
“One of the victims was an elderly man who had concluded arrangements to move out of the house today. If he had left earlier, he would have survived. The building simply sank without any warning,” she said.
The Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) confirmed that 12 people were rescued while an adult woman, a baby and a 75 year old man lost their lives.
The Permanent Secretary of LASEMA, Dr. Olufemi Oke Osanyintolu, said the agency deployed emergency personnel and heavy rescue equipment following a directive by Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu.
According to him, LASEMA worked in collaboration with the Ogun State Government, the National Emergency Management Agency, the Nigeria Police Force, the Ogun State Fire Service, the Amotekun Corps and other emergency responders to ensure a coordinated rescue operation.
He disclosed that a preliminary structural assessment revealed that an adjoining bungalow had been severely compromised by the collapse and would undergo controlled demolition to prevent a secondary disaster.
Oke Osanyintolu described the intervention as a reflection of the Lagos State Government’s commitment to regional disaster response and interstate cooperation.
He extended condolences to the families of the deceased, wished the injured speedy recovery and urged property owners to comply with building regulations, obtain statutory approvals and conduct regular structural integrity tests to prevent similar incidents.
Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, said Governor Abiodun had ordered a full scale investigation into the collapse.
According to Akinmade, preliminary findings by a multi agency investigation team indicated that the building suffered catastrophic structural failure, causing its lower floors to sink into the ground while only parts of the upper slab remained visible above the rubble.
He said eyewitnesses reported that the building collapsed shortly after a heavy downpour accompanied by thunderstorms and a reported lightning strike.
Akinmade added that two women and their children escaped after noticing signs of structural distress, while a young man sustained minor injuries while fleeing the building moments before it collapsed.
He noted that emergency responders from the Ogun State Safety Office, State Fire Service, relevant ministries, the Nigeria Police Force and the Ifo Local Government Water and Environmental Sanitation Department swiftly mobilised to the scene.
He also revealed that contractors working on projects within the Akute Alagbole and Agbado axis deployed heavy equipment less than 10 minutes after the incident to support rescue efforts.
According to the Ogun State Government, while the heavy rainfall preceded the collapse, only detailed structural, geotechnical and forensic engineering investigations would determine whether the tragedy resulted from foundation defects, soil instability, construction flaws, the use of substandard materials or other underlying factors.
Governor Abiodun has directed experts from relevant government agencies to conduct comprehensive structural, soil and material assessments, as well as inspect adjoining buildings to prevent further disasters.
The governor also assured affected residents of government support and warned that anyone found culpable of violating building regulations, deviating from approved plans or compromising construction standards would face prosecution.
The Ogun State Government commended the Lagos State Government for its swift intervention, describing the collaboration as a demonstration of the strong partnership between both states in protecting lives and property.