Collapsed school building
Wike orders full probe after Abuja building collapse kills five
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has ordered a comprehensive investigation into a building collapse in Abuja that claimed five lives and left several others injured over the weekend. He also directed that the site be sealed off immediately.
The three-storey building, which was under construction, collapsed on Saturday morning in the Durumi 3 area, near Gudu Market, within the Abuja Municipal Area Council.
During a visit to the scene on Monday, Wike described the incident as deeply unfortunate and confirmed that enforcement actions, including arrests linked to the project, had already commenced.
He stated that preliminary reports indicated multiple fatalities while a number of occupants were rescued from the rubble.
Authorities, he added, would move swiftly to determine how the structure failed and whether regulatory procedures were ignored.
“From the report I got, we lost five people and some lives were saved. It’s very pathetic. Nobody is happy when you lose somebody,” the minister said.
According to Wike, the Department of Development Control had already taken steps to seal off the property, with further enforcement measures underway.
He also confirmed that legal action had begun against those connected to the construction.
“The Department of Development Control has sealed off the premises. We are going to set up a panel to really look at what happened. One of the engineers has been arrested already. From there, we will get to the developer, and he or she will be arrested,” Wike said.
He noted that the Federal Capital Territory Administration had taken charge of the investigation, with a panel expected to carry out a detailed review of the circumstances surrounding the collapse, alongside preliminary work by development control officials.
The minister also used the opportunity to caution developers against resisting or undermining regulatory oversight by federal authorities responsible for monitoring construction activities in the capital.
He warned that attempts to obstruct officials often led to misinformation and public misunderstanding of enforcement actions.
Wike stressed that strict adherence to building regulations, including proper soil testing and the use of approved materials, was essential to preventing avoidable disasters.
He questioned whether developers consistently followed technical requirements before embarking on construction, noting that such lapses often contribute to structural failures.
“In the construction of buildings, we must know the quality. What materials are they using? Are they doing the soil test? What is the result of the soil test? Can it allow for two floors or three floors? All these are very key,” he said.
Wike added that the primary responsibility of government remained the protection of lives and property, lamenting that the victims of the collapse could not be replaced.
“How can you buy back these lives? They are gone. That is the responsibility of government: to protect life and property,” he said.
About The Author
