At least five people have been confirmed dead after a three-storey building under construction collapsed in the Durumi 3 area of Abuja on Saturday, trapping workers and residents beneath heaps of concrete and twisted metal as rescue teams battled to save survivors.
The structure, located behind Gudu Market near Gaduwa Estate in the Gudu District of the Federal Capital Territory, reportedly caved in during the morning hours, sending panic through the busy neighbourhood and drawing hundreds of anxious residents to the scene. Emergency officials said more victims were feared trapped under the rubble as rescue operations continued late into the evening.
Officials of the Federal Fire Service, the FCT Emergency Management Department, the National Emergency Management Agency, security agencies, health workers and local volunteers were seen digging through debris in a desperate search for survivors. Witnesses said many of the trapped victims were labourers working on the unfinished structure when it suddenly gave way.
The Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, visited the scene and announced that the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, had directed that all injured victims receive free medical treatment at government hospitals. Some of the rescued victims were reportedly taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Asokoro District Hospital and Maitama Hospital for urgent care.
While authorities are yet to officially determine the cause of the collapse, preliminary observations from emergency officials suggested that poor construction standards and possible compromise in the quality of building materials may have contributed to the disaster. The Standards Organisation of Nigeria was said to be assisting investigators at the site.
The tragedy has again raised concerns over recurring cases of building collapse in Nigeria, especially in rapidly developing urban centres where enforcement of construction regulations has often been questioned. Abuja has witnessed several similar incidents in recent years, including collapses in Kubwa and Jikwoyi that left multiple casualties and injured workers.
As floodlights illuminated the disaster scene Saturday night, excavators and rescue personnel continued combing through the wreckage amid fears that additional victims could still be buried beneath the collapsed structure. Residents gathered nearby, many praying and waiting anxiously for news of missing relatives and co-workers.
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