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Nigeria Security

LAGOS BUILDING COLLAPSE – SANWOOLU SUSPENDS LASBCA BOSS, SETS UP PANEL

PUSH NEWS INTERNATIONAL – November 2nd , 2021

Collapsed 21 Storey on Ikoyi

Sequel to the collapse of a 21 storey building on Gerard, Ikoyi which killed and trapped several workers, the Lagos State government in a press statement over the unfortunate incident has suspended the General Manager of the Lagos Building Control Agency (LASBCA) whose sole responsibility is to regulate and monitor the process of any building construction in the center of excellence.

its was rumoured that LASBCA Officials displayed negligence in their responsibilities leading to the loss of life’s and properties.

Below is the released as obtained by Push News International.

PRESS STATEMENT FROM MR. GBENGA OMOTOSO, HONOURABLE COMMISSIONER FOR INFORMATION AND STRATEGY

GERRARD ROAD BUILDING COLLAPSE

· Nine rescued alive, 14 dead

· Sanwo-Olu orders LASBCA GM’s suspension

· Deputy Governor visits site

The Lagos State Government is setting up an independent panel to probe the collapse of the 21-storey building on Gerrard Road, Ikoyi. Members of the panel will be drawn from the Nigeria Institute of Architects (NIA), Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), Nigeria Society of Engineers (NSE) and other professional bodies.

It will independently investigate the remote and immediate causes of the incident and make recommendations on how to prevent future occurrence. The investigation is not part of the internal probe already being conducted by the government.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has said the government will surely find out what went wrong and punish those indicted. The Governor, as a first step, has directed that the General Manager of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LASBCA), Mr. Gbolahan Oki, an architect, be suspended from work immediately. The suspension is indefinite.

More equipment and personnel have been deployed in the site to save more lives.

Nine persons – all men – have been pulled out of the rubble alive. They have been taken to the hospital. Unfortunately, 14 others were brought out dead – as at 2pm.

Mr. Sanwo-Olu thanks all first responders and those who have joined the rescue efforts, including construction giants Julius Berger, Chinese Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

A help desk is to be set up at the site for people seeking information about their relations who may have been involved in the incident. The media are hereby notified that the government will be releasing information whenever the need arises to avoid any sensational reporting of the unfortunate incident.

The Deputy Governor, Dr Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, was today at the site to encourage rescuers and comfort relations of those trapped in the rubble. Dr. Hamzat left the site for the Lagos Island General Hospital to see the survivors.

The government will embark on further foundation and borehole acidic level tests to ascertain the impact on the collapsed building. These tests, particularly the borehole acidic level, is important for the entire Gerrard Road and adjoining areas.

We wish to state that there will be no cover-up in the search for the truth in this incident. If anybody is found to have been indicted, he or she will face the law.

It is important to restate that all developers and property owners are required to adhere strictly to all Building Codes and Planning Regulations to ensure the safety of lives and property. Those who ignore such regulations, breaking seals and defying enforcement, will surely be prosecuted.

Gbenga Omotoso

Hon. Commissioner for Information and Strategy

2nd November, 2021

MORE FACTS EMERGE

Who is the owner of the 21 story building that collapsed in Ikoyi , Lagos this morning ?

His name is Olufemi Adegoke Osibona aka Fourscore !

Grew up in Ojota , Lagos and a citizen of the United Kingdom .

In December 2020, it was reported that he is the owner of the “abandoned” Rolls Royce Cullinan on Boudillion road , Ikoyi .

According to CAC documents, his company FOURSCORE HOMES AND INVESTMENT LIMITED was incorporated in OJOTA, Nigeria with Registration Number 412217.
It was registered on 24 May 2001 and it’s current status is unknown.
Company’s registered office address is 34, EMMANUELHIGHSTREET, , OJOTA, LAGOS.

Consultants had washed their hands clean off the project since last February.
Olufemi was doing direct labor….employed one small architect and one engineer to construct that kind of massive structure without supervision. A project manager contracted asked the owner of the drawings….there were no drawings…..no consultants no quality control…. He told him to stop asking questions and come up with a plan on how to complete the work ASAP. The guy had to leave without pay after 2 weeks.

The concrete was peeling from the columns few days ago and the owner kept telling the Mason working there to cover it up with plaster.

Greed.

He is the elder brother to Lanre Osibona, Special Assistant to the Vice President of Nigeria .

Over 50 people are still trapped in the debris 3 hours after the collapse .

Other facts

This collapsed Ikoyi building that is news might bury many facts Nigerians need to know, if the owner of the property and MD of Forescore Homes trapped in the rubbles, dies.
This GM of the Lagos State Building Control Agency (LABSCA) may also suffer for the negligence of his predecessor and some power wielders.
Facts are the man became GM, LABSCA in February this year. His predecessor GM under whom the building was approved and builders flouted most of the regulations, is now a Permanent Secretary in the Lagos State Ministry of Physical Planning. Attempts by staff of LABSCA to carry out inspection on the integrity of the works on site under her watch was resisted. Learnt the LABSCA officials were chased off site by gun totting men and the woman could do nothing.
The serving Commissioner for Physical Planning under whom the building took off has been in government even before the Sanwo-Olu administration. He must know many things about the eye catching building in a highbrow location.
It is under the PS and Commissioner’s watch that the hitherto structural engineers for the building, Prowess Engineering, withdrew their services last year February on grounds the construction going 21 floors lost its structural integrity from the fifth floor up. Words are out approval was given for 15 floors.
The current GM of LABSCA is really in a soup he did not join to cook. Learnt the guy has also been asking for permanent police escort for his men on visit to building sites to avert their molestation like they had suffered in the hands of builders of the collapsed building. His men we learnt have vowed never to go to that building site again unless with the police before the eventual collapse.
This is a real interesting development everyone need to follow.

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