Residents of Wuse Zone 4 in Abuja were thrown into panic on Monday evening after a building collapsed in the area.
The FCT Emergency Management Department (FEMD) said it received a distress call at about 7:20 pm and immediately deployed emergency responders to the scene.
According to Lere Olayinka, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike, the building had previously been sealed by the FCT Administration’s Department of Development Control. He added that occupants had been instructed to vacate the premises before the structure collapsed.
No casualties had been confirmed as of the time of filing this report, although authorities were still working to determine whether anyone was trapped under the debris. Rescue operations were ongoing, with responders awaiting the arrival of an excavator to assist in clearing the rubble.
The FCT Police Command spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said a police response team led by the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Department of Operations, ACP Edward Akaniyene, and the Area Commander, Metro, ACP Georgelyn Ufomadu, arrived at the scene shortly after the incident.
Adeh said personnel from the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA), Federal Fire Service, FCTA Security Service Department and other emergency agencies were also involved in the search-and-rescue operation.
She said preliminary findings showed that the building had earlier been marked and sealed by the Department of Development Control.
“So far, no victims have been confirmed. However, search and rescue operations are still ongoing to identify and rescue any persons who may be trapped in the rubble,” Adeh said.
She added that an investigation had commenced to determine the circumstances surrounding the collapse and establish its possible cause.
Authorities urged residents to remain calm, avoid the affected area and cooperate with emergency personnel to ensure unhindered access to the scene.