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Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) via its Department of Development Control has dismissed as mere propaganda, reports of Saturday night’s collapsed building in Sabon Lugbe area of the territory which allegedly had over 40 persons trapped in the rubble.
Director of the department, Mukhtar Galadima in an explanatory note on Sunday said the building had already been demolished and that scavengers, popularly known as “Baban Bola” had invaded the site in a bid to scavenge iron rods, when remaining part of the demolished structure caved in.
He said, “This is to bring to the notice of the Department that the media publication with respect to collapse of a multi-storey building in Lugbe is just a propaganda.
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“The subject building is within the site currently under demolition and the subject structure was an uncompleted building which was demolished on Thursday.
“Information gathered is that the site recorded mass influx of scavengers (over 500) in number pulling down and carting away remains of iron rods. Their activities triggered the remains of a demolished slab to fall on them”.
The acting Director FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD), Engr Abdulrahman Mohammed said that 7 persons who were scavenging for iron rods and other building materials lost their lives in the process.
He said, “What happened is that the structure was marked for removal by development control.
“So these boys taking advantage of the fact that there would be no demolition exercise at Weekend, moved in to strip the iron rods in the pillar holding up the building leading to the unfortunate incident”
Engr Abdulrahman also stated that the Chairman Miyetti Allah, FCT chapter, Mohammed Hussein confirmed to FEMD that 5 members of the association were removed dead from the rubble.
According to him seven other persons were rescued alive from the rubble of the collapsed building.
Meanwhile, FEMD has called off its search and rescue after excavation of the incident site revealed that there were no persons trapped in the rubble.
The FEMD boss has appealed to scavengers to shun demolition sites and allow the FCTA carryout the removal of structures to avert a re occurrence of the incident.
