At least three people have died after a two-storey building reportedly sank into the ground in the Ajuwon area of Ifo Local Government Area, Ogun State, with emergency officials continuing rescue operations to determine if more victims remain trapped.
The incident occurred on Baale Road following heavy rainfall and a thunderstorm, according to eyewitnesses and emergency responders.
The South-West Zonal Director of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Saheed Akiode, said rescue teams had recovered three bodies while 12 people, including two newborn babies, were pulled out alive.
He said the building would have to be completely demolished before emergency workers could access the remaining debris.
“The operation is still ongoing and we need to ensure that the building is brought down to ground level so that we can see what is underneath. The situation is calm, and we urge everyone in the area to remain peaceful. As of yesterday, 12 persons were rescued alive, while three bodies were recovered from the rubble,” Akiode said.
Akiode added that NEMA activated all relevant emergency response agencies immediately after receiving reports of the incident, with personnel working at the site since Monday on rescue and recovery efforts.
The Chairman of Ifo Local Government, Kusimo Idris, also confirmed that 12 occupants were rescued, including two babies believed to be less than two months old.
Although officials have not confirmed the total number of people inside the building when it failed, unverified reports suggest about 15 occupants were in the structure.
The collapse reportedly destroyed two floors of the building, leaving only part of the upper floor standing.
As rescue efforts continued, officials of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) joined other emergency responders at the scene to support the operation.
Meanwhile, the Ogun State Building Production Management Authority declared an adjacent building a “distressed building,” raising fears among traders occupying three shops in the property.
Several shop owners were seen removing their goods as a precaution while authorities assessed the safety of the surrounding structures.
